Like Father Like Son
by Draco Malfoy is Blonde
Summary: Sequel to A Never Ending Fight. As Sirius grows up, a new seer and new visions means they have a new war and a new enemy to defeat. Harry wants nothing more than to protect their children, but like father like son, Scoripus and Sirius are the center of (unwanted psychopath's) attention.
1. Chapter 1

**24th July 2012**

"Hogwarts letters!" Draco cried, Harry smiled at him as he mad a fool of himself with the children, George and his son Fred (The Second) were staying for a couple of days, George was having trouble with his wife.

"James, Teddy, Sirius, and Fred!" Draco handed the letters to each of the boys, Harry smiled at the bright expression on Fred's face. George grabbed the letter before his son and opened it..

"Dear Mini Weasley," George pretended to read, "We regret to inform you you are a squib, and will be locked in Azkaban-"

"Daddy!" Fred whined chasing his father around. Harry caught the scary/mischievous gleam in the young boys eyes and then the whole room went pitch black.

"Hey!" Lorcana cried whilst Blaise and Draco fell over each other. There was a roaring laugh from Harry's left as George playfully scolded his son about pinching his Peruvian Darkness Powder.

George was the first thing Harry saw when the darkness vanished, holding his wand in one hand and his son under his arm.

"Sorry about that,"he smiled, "We're heading upstairs, Mr. Wizard here has some chores to do." Fred wriggled of of his fathers arms and ran upstairs, George followed him, laughing. The Zabinis followed the red heads up the stairs, along with the twins and Draco with Scorpius.

"Hey, um," Harry was alone in the kitchen with Teddy, who had adopted his trade mark sad black hair and silver eyes.

"You're thinking about your parents again, aren't you Ted?" Harry pulled the boy on his lap.

"You never talk about my mum," Teddy said, "only dad."

"I had the biggest crush on your mum," Harry told him, "when we first met she was so cool, she could change how she looked, like you can, used to say Wotcher instead of hello so I always knew it was her." Harry stopped, "We never dated, don't worry kiddo, I wasn't that close. She saved my life on more than one occasion, bloody clumsiest Auror I ever knew." Harry combed his fingers through his son's hair.

"You know, how about we talk to Nanna, see if she would like to visit this summer for a bit?"

Teddy's face lit up, "Thank you Dad." he ran off up the stairs leaving Harry to his own thoughts. He idly tapped his fingers against his cane, grimacing as he stood and taking a minute to balance his weight off of his bum knee, then he headed upstairs as well.

**September 4th 2012**

"Harry, Draco?" Luna managed to get into the room without falling over any of Scorpius' toys. Lego was a 'bitch' to step on in the morning, Harry knew because Draco was rather vocal about it when he stepped on it. Harry actually looked where he was going, then again he had to.

"Draco's with Lucas, what's wrong Luna?" Lucas was their youngest, and probably final son, born May that year; named after Lucius at Draco's request. It took an awful lot of pleading and a few childhood memories to convince Harry to honor the man who disabled him and one of his eldest sons. Regardless Harry was still not fond of Lucius Malfoy.

"Lyda's had another seizure, Harry." Luna was very close to tears, these episodes Lyda, the Zabini's youngest daughter, was having were becoming more frequent and they had no idea what was wrong with her. According to the healers at St. Mungos, she was fine, except for the violent fits she seemed prone to having at least twice a week now. At only six, Lyda seemed to be at risk of losing her life, and no one knew how to help.

"Blaise is with her, but you know he has no idea what to do."

"I'll get Draco for you," Harry said before limping out of the room, using his cane to clear a path through the toys. Luna followed hip up the stairs into Lucas' bedroom.

"Draco?" Harry said, his husband of seven years jumping up and looking at Luna for only a second before heading to her and Blaise's bedroom.

"Thank you Draco" Luna said after him, but he had already left.

"You know he doesn't mind helping, Luna."

Luna just nodded, her hand covering her eyes. Harry put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him.

"It'll be alright," He said, "We'll figure this out, I'll do whatever I can."

Luna nodded and Harry hugged her gently.

* * *

><p>Sirius was standing outside the Gryffindor common room, the note from Ayah in his hand, waiting for one of his brothers; he would stop asking Gryffindors to help him out after the first two weeks of school. The Gryffindors just glared at him.<p>

"Hello?"

"Hello…"

Sirius jumped rather violently when someone waved their hand in front of his eyes.

Sirius waved at the person.

"You're Sirius Potter aren't you?" Sirius nodded. The girl in front of him was a Gryffindor first year; she had dark hair and dark skin, and was rather short, even for a first year.

"I'm Tasmin Jordan." She smiled at him. "Did you want to see James?"

Sirius nodded, grateful to her.

"I'll see if hes in there and send him out. But I was wondering if you could do me a favor?"

She looked very shy, and actually blushed when he nodded.

"Could you teach me sign language, please?"

Sirius smiled at her, there was no one at Hogwarts who had actually chosen to learn sign language, his family had to, obviously, not even Mina wanted to learn and she was Sirius' best, and only friend.

Sirius nodded enthusiastically and the little girl smiled at him and ran into the common room. Moments later James sulked out of the portal, complaining that one of his friends was making him do homework.

"What do you want Sirius?" James sighed. Sirius frowned at him and handed the letter from Ayah to James who quickly read it.

"Well that's depressing, Lyda is still sick. Don't you ever have any good news?" James gave the letter back and tried to walk away. Sirius grabbed his shoulder.

"What's your problem, James?" Sirius signed.

"Sorry." James said, but Sirius got the distinct impression he was unapologetic.

"At least let Teddy know?" Sirius asked him, James nodded and went back in the common room.

**5th September, 2012**

Tasmin was already there when Sirius went to the library for their first lesson. Sirius had left Mina in the common room with her head stuffed in the enormous book she had taken to constantly carrying around.

Tasmin waved to Sirius as came to her table, telling him she had been there early and had started reading through the book on sign language she had bought in Diagon Alley that summer. Tasmin's grandmother had lost her hearing a few years ago and was having trouble communicating with her family; Tasmin was going to surprise her. Sirius smiled at the little girls sweet story, and he gave her the notes he had written about how sign language worked; like learning any language only continual practice would help you get fluent. He then showed her some basic signs, and went through the alphabet, and told her to practice and meet him there same time next week.

Sirius went back to his dorm, ignoring Mina, who was waiting for him there and was still avidly studying the massive text on his dorm mate's bed. Sirius went to his drawer and pulled out some spare parchment, a quill and ink to write to his family.

_Hey dad, Ayah._

_James doesn't want to talk to me anymore, I went and told him about Lyda and he said to me that I never bring him any good news anymore, but I don't like talking to him because his friends always glare at me._  
><em>How can I make James and Teddy talk to me again? I know I'm not very fun to talk to because I can't speak but they're my brothers and I miss them; specially since Mina is busy reading all the time.<em>  
><em>How is Lyda? I couldn't find anything in the Hogwarts library sorry.<em>  
><em>I love you both,<em>  
><em>From Sirius.<em>

Harry sighed as he folded the note from Sirius.  
>"Draco?" Draco turned at the sound of his name and took the letter reading it quickly.<br>"I was worried this would happen," Draco said, "James is a good boy, but he seems to have gotten in with the wrong crowd.  
>"Gryffindors? Aren't you a bit guilty too then?" Harry asked half jokingly.<p>

"In our time, the wrong crowd was the Slytherins." Draco said.  
>"I think your right, Draco, but I'm fairly certain James is the wrong crowd. I think the house prejudice got a lot worse since the final battle."<br>"Don't say that about James, Harry. I'm sure if we just talk to him he'll realize-"  
>"He'll realize what, Draco?" Harry turned around and looked at Draco, a hand in his hair, lines showing on his face from age, stress and worry.<br>"He'll realize that he's let misinformation and prejudice makes him neglect his brother? It was always inevitable that being in Slytherin will set Sirius apart from the other two, look what the house prejudice did to my godfather, he ran away from home for Merlin's sake, you _know_ out of all those boys Sirius can't stand to be alone."  
>"Well what are we supposed to do, Harry?" Draco stood up now, furious, "Any ideas, it's not like we can pull them all out of school, yes they will grow apart but hopefully it won't last. And you forget that Black's whole family were dark lord supporters! It's not like we're about to disown Sirius for being sorted into Slytherin."<br>Draco stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him. Harry viciously kicked the corner of the lounge, then flopped down onto the chair and just put his hands in his hair. He had always hoped James and Sirius would have a relationship like Fred and George Weasley had had, one that would mean they always had someone they could rely on, one that wouldn't be destroyed by war.

Of course he loved them both, but Sirius _needed _help at school, weather he liked it or not. Harry had always though Sirius would need help at Hogwarts, even before he was made mute, he had hoped James would be there for him, but, last year especially, James Potter had let his father's fame go straight to his head, to the point where, ironically, he was too cool to associate with his family anymore.

* * *

><p>Draco was frustrated by James and Harry, James needed to step up and help his twin, Teddy helped whenever he could, and James just had to accept that Sirius was mute and needed the support of his family. It was so bad last year, before Sirius became friends with Mina. Sirius didn't cope well when he was left alone; Harry used to have to go into Hogwarts on the weekends.<p>

"Draco?" Luna barged into his and Harry's bedroom, and Draco looked at the poor woman. Tears were streaking her cheeks, her hands were shaking, and hadn't he known better, he would say she was badly hurt. Draco stood.

"Draco, it's Lyda, she-she's not well, I need your help please!" Draco paused for only a moment to offer Luna a comforting, if unhelpful squeeze to her shoulder before racing from his bedroom, Luna hot on his heels.

Lyda had always been an incredibly pretty girl. She looked like a porcelain doll, with her mother's completion, father's hair and grandmother's delicate features. But now she was scrunched up on the bed, Blaise, rubbing her back, her eyes shut tight and hands shaking.

Her dark wavy hair was plastered to her little face with sweat and she looked like she was in pain.  
>"Luna, get Harry for me, quickly" Draco said, moving to sit next to Lyda. Luna all but ran from the room.<p>

Harry limped into the room, took one look at Lyda, and left. Draco, screamed after him, but he didn't come back.  
>With no idea what he was doing, Draco grabbed a cool cloth and placed it on Lyda's forehead. "How long has she been like this?" Draco asked Blaise.<br>"I was asleep, and she was moving around before, she woke me. At first I thought it was a nightmare, but she either hasn't woken up or can't hear us."  
>Harry came back in then, closely followed by Hermione Granger, Hermione Weasley rather, who halfheartedly glared at everyone in the room, before looking at Lyda, nodding to Harry and leaving quickly.<br>The room was silent as Harry, ignoring the abrupt departure of his former friend, limped over to Lyda, rolled her onto her back and slapped her, not hard, but not gentle on the top of her arm, and yelled "LYDA!" in his old war commander voice.

Lyda woke immediately, and looked around confused for barely two seconds before throwing her arms around Harry, burying her face in his collarbone and sobbing.  
>Harry shooed everyone, even Luna and Blaise from the room, and sat down on the bed with the sobbing girl in his lap. Draco paused and watched his husband and god-daughter<p>

**14th September 2012**

Sirius sat down with Tasmin for their third lesson. He received a reply from Ayah, saying not to worry about James and Teddy, both he and dad would talk to them on the next weekend. Ayah also told him that Lyda's been about the same.

"I don't understand this one," Tasmin said pointing to a sign for something. She was a good student, missed a lot of obvious things though. Sirius began to write an explanation of the sign but Tasmin stopped him.  
>"Are you alright, you seem sad about something?"<br>Sirius shrugged, but Tasmin still looked at him expectantly so he pulled a bit of paper towards him and quickly wrote;  
><em>A friend of the family is sick, and no one knows what's wrong. She's been having regular seizures; it's scaring everyone a bit.<em>  
>He passed the short note to her and let her read it.<br>"Has she been having really vivid nightmares or dreams that she can't wake up from?" Tasmin asked, "Because my older sister is a seer and that's what happened when she started getting visions."  
>Sirius shook his head and pulled the paper towards him again.<p>

_No my parents haven't told me anything like that, I'll mention it in my next letter though. Thank you._  
>"You know, Sirius, you're a lot nicer than James." Tasmin said after reading the note. Sirius raised an eyebrow at her, asking for an explanation.<br>"Sorry," She said, "it's just that you're very polite."  
>Again Sirius took the paper from her and quickly wrote;<br>_When you have to write down everything you say, you be a lot more careful with your words._

Sirius handed the paper back for Tasmin to read. It was something Ayah had told him, then he said, 'even if you don't quite understand now, you will, just keep it in mind'  
>Sirius understood what it meant, any Slytherin would, it's why ayah told him.<br>Sirius knew people didn't really think before they spoke, but if you have pieces of paper reminding you what you say, you need to be careful with your words.  
>Tasmin didn't look like she understood. But she would one day.<p>

* * *

><p>"Harry?" Draco pushed the door open nearly silently and closed it behind him when he saw Harry and Lyda cuddled together on the bed. Harry looked at him, sadly, Lyda was asleep.<p>

She slept better when he was there, for whatever reason. After the attack she went through last week she was sleeping few and far between. It reminded Draco of a puppy his parents got him when he was 10. It was called Merlin, and was a great dane puppy.

He had it for three months and then Merlin got very sick. Despite the Malfoy wealth , there was no animal healer that could find what was wrong.

Narcissa did all she could to keep the puppy alive, but it vomited up whatever it ate and it would have starved to death, so they had it put down. He was whimpering from hunger; it was awful.

Lyda was the same, she was diminishing, they didn't know what to do or what was wrong. She was just dying, and they had to watch.

Harry was still looking at him, with sad eyes. "I'm sorry for… well just for before," Harry said. Draco shook his head.

"You're right. We can't ignore this, and I'm sorry for trying to."

Draco walked over to his lover and slid onto the bed as silently as possible to not wake his goddaughter.

There was a long, but not uncomfortable pause.

"Why did you get Granger?" Draco eventually asked.

"Female Weasley?" Harry corrected, a pained half smile on his face.

"Right, forgot again" Draco said, he had only just broken the habit of calling her 'the mudblood' when she married The Weasel.

"Lyda looked like she was having a bad dream, but she couldn't wake up." Harry said, "When I got visions from Voldemort, it was the same thing, I would only wake up if someone yelled or hit me."

"You think she's having visions?" Draco asked; voice laced with worry as he glanced at Lyda.

"She's not receiving visions from another person, if she's getting visions; they're all in her head."

"What does that mean Harry?" Draco asked, panicked, "Do you think she could be a bit, I don't know, crazy?" Draco asked, brushing the damp hair from Harry's forehead.

"I'm not sure, really, we'll have to wait and see what she says about them," Harry said, "let her sleep now though," he added, stopping Draco from waking her.


	2. Chapter 2

**22nd September 2012**

It was another week before Lyda had another 'Vision'; she was still having the seizures and St. Mungo's had made no conclusions form the extra information.

Lyda says she doesn't remember what she saw, or she doesn't want to talk about it, so they were getting nowhere; and Luna and Blaise were falling apart, their character, their patience and their marriage.

Harry, particularly was readying himself for the worst, he of course knew death was nothing to be afraid of, but Lyda was so young, and once she was gone, she was gone. Going through the war had almost made Harry immune to death, and again he was looking for that immunity.

Draco would not accept Lyda's death until it happened, and convinced himself she would be fine. It was Harry who went to Hogwarts on a Wednesday afternoon to bring the boys home for a while. If Lyda did die, he wanted her to be happy, have her family and friends around her. If the boys were still there when she died they would be able to have time to grieve before heading back.

"Mr. Potter," McGonagall said as Harry tripped through the floo.

"Headmistress," Harry said smiling at the old woman. McGonagall had changed since before the war. She was still the strict teacher she had always been, but there was a constant grief around her now, ever since the manor, really, ever since the war.

"You want to take Teddy, Sirius and James home?" She asked, his letter to her laid out on the incredibly organised desk. The office had changed too, since Dumbledore's time. It was not as dusty, and it looked a lot more academic. No spinning sparkling ornaments or magical trinkets.

"We have the Zabini's and their three kids living with us, they're like family and their youngest daughter is very ill, and we just don't know what's wrong. It's beginning to look like she won't make it." Harry paused for a while, "I want the boys to be able to see her again before she passes, if she passes; just a week or two."

"Of course Mr. Potter," McGonagall said, "take as long as you want, I'll have their teachers organised class material that you can have them do at home if they like and owl it to you as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Minerva, and I'm sorry for the short notice."

"It's not a problem, Harry." McGonagall reassured, and then Harry flooed from the office.

Draco was waiting in the kitchen for him and he caught Harry when Harry tripped once more.

"Its settled?" Draco said cooly. Harry nodded.

"They'll come home the week after next, for a little while."

"They don't need to, Harry, she'll be fine."

"I hope so," Harry said, then glared at his husband. "Don't look at me like that, Malfoy."

"You think she'll die." Draco said bluntly. Harry nodded.

"Doesn't mean I want her to die." Harry whispered, "I'd give my own life to save her, I'd die to give her a few more years. You know that."

"She'll be fine," Draco said, "everything will be okay." Harry nodded, his face for once showing how sad he really was through all this. "We're not at war, Harry, you're allowed to feel, you don't have to be strong now."

Harry looked at Draco with his piercing green eyes and reached out for his hand.

* * *

><p>Sirius was sitting in the Slytherin common room next to Mina, who was still reading her big book, when Professor Slughorn waddled up to him.<p>

"Mr. Potter, I have a message from the Headmistress, could you please see her in her office immediately?" Sirius nodded to Slughorn, who was always very awkward when talking to him, and Slughorn immediately left, quickly followed by Sirius who headed straight to Professor McGonagall's office.

The door swung open before he even knocked and he walked in quickly, but was immediately confused by the absence of his headmistress. The door swung closed behind him with a resounding thud and Sirius jumped about a foot in the air. The Headmasters and Headmistresses on the wall slept on – and they were actually sleeping, all but one.

Half hidden behind a bookcase was a portrait of a sour looking man with a hooked nose and greasy hair, his frame was only half the size of all the others and was a plain black stained wood with a boring Slytherin green background.  
>The man glared at him.<br>"You would be Potter's boy?" The man said, in a hard but not entirely unkind tone. Sirius nodded.  
>"Just as disrespectful too, you should answer me properly, so 'yes sir,' or 'no sir'."<p>

Sirius looked around and found a pile of blank parchment and grabbed a quill, then quickly wrote.

_I'm sorry professor,_

_I am unable to speak and am answering as best I can._

He let the portrait read it and the man's face softened slightly.

"My apologies, Mr. Potter, I didn't realize."

Sirius just nodded again.

"I'm Professor Snape." The man pushed. Sirius wrote his name on the parchment and the question '_is your name Severus Snape?'_

Professor Snape, while the name Sirius Potter dragged up all sorts of painful memories, was surprised the boy knew him by name.  
>"How do you know me?" Severus asked, astonished. Sirius flipped the parchment over to the clean side and wrote;<p>

_My father told me how you helped him in the war. And how you kept him safe from Voldemort and how you risked your life to help the Order of the Phoenix._

_My youngest brother, Lucas' middle name is Severus._

Severus looked very surprised by that, apparently, somehow Potter had survived and even acknowledged what he did in the war, unlike McGonagall, who hid him behind her ruddy bookcase.

"Who's your mother?" Severus asked next, already expecting the answer. He let Potter write his answer;

_Ginny Weasley, but she died when I was born_

"Do you have a mother now?"

_No._

"Why can't you speak?"

_Screaming._

Sirius was thrilled when the portrait stayed silent after that.

Eventually Harry, Professors McGonagall and Weasley and James and Teddy walked into the Office, McGonagall with a very disapproving look on her face.

"As a teacher, Hermione I would expect you to willingly help any child no matter who their parents are, the amount of times you said how Snape treated me because of my father was wrong and you decide to go right ahead and be a hypocrite!"

"Your father didn't murder his sister in law!" Hermione shot back before turning her back to Potter. "Headmistress, you can't just grant children indefinite leave because one of their friends is ill, and expect class teachers to organize all their work for them, _in case_ they want to do it."

McGonagall looked shocked. "Hermione, that doesn't sound like you at all, you can't possibly believe that what happened to Ginny was Harry's fault, and any child at this school in the same situation would be given the same treatment. You know that."

"I think its unnecessary work, I have a life too, I have two children to look after every night and can't possibly organize work for three children, in three different classes for the next two weeks."

McGonagall sighed. "I don't know what to do then, Professor Granger, you will just need to ensure they have caught up when they return. Please leave." Minerva pointed to the door with a glare. Hermione flicked her now very short hair over her shoulder and stomped from the room, much like she did as a teenager.

"Sorry about that Harry, she's changed so much from the girl I knew." Harry nodded silently.

"I can have Draco cover history with them, it's not a problem, it's my fault she kicked up a fuss, professor." Harry then turned to the boys, "Floo through to Grimmauld place, Draco and Blaise will be waiting there."

"How is Miss Zabini?" McGonagall asked before Harry could follow the boy's home.

"She seems to be coping better, but she looks awful, and we think she's begun to hallucinate and have visions in her sleep." Harry replied.

"I've never heard of such a thing!" McGonagall exclaimed.

"Neither have any of the healers at St. Mungo's."

"Perhaps Poppy will be able to help? I can get her if you like?" McGonagall said, heading to the door.

"If you think she could help, Professor, by all means."

McGonagall left, leaving Harry standing in the centre of the room, tired and worn.

"Potter!"

Harry jumped at the very familiar, snarky bark of his surname, and smiled a very sadistic-looking smile.

"Professor Snape," he said as way of greeting, loudly to the room in general.

"Behind the bloody bookcase," was the reply, and Harry, identifying the correct bookcase, used wandless magic to move it off the half of the portrait it was covering.

"Met your son not long ago Potter," Snape said, a half smile on his face, "Am I correct in assuming that the trouble didn't stop after the fall of Voldemort?"

"Course it didn't." Harry replied.

"He is an interesting boy, Potter, reminds me quite a bit of you."

"You had no idea who I was, Snape, very few people do." Harry said, glancing at the door to see if McGonagall was back so he could go home.

"I've had time to think."

"Sirius is in Slytherin," Harry said.

"I think you should have been to, though." Snape replied, Harry was impressed; he was the first person to guess the truth about his house.

"I suppose you want to know what happened?"

"Of course Potter," Snape replied in his best 'snarky voice'.

"Its not really worth repeating," Harry said, "Hopefully we'll never see the use of Horcruxes again. I did marry Draco Malfoy, you might be interested to know." Harry laughed at the look on Snape's face.

"That's rather shocking." Snape said as McGonagall came back into the room, followed by Poppy Pomfrey.

"Harry?" Poppy said, bustling over to him and giving him a gentle hug, "I've missed you over the years, since you've left I've had full weeks where no ones been in the Hospital wing."

Harry laughed, "Really? Well wait until Scorpius gets here; he is the clumsiest child I know."

"You best be off, Poppy stay as long as you're needed and I hope Miss Zabini gets better, Harry."

Poppy followed Harry trough the floo to Grimmauld place. Harry once again tripped as he came through the floo network, closely followed by Poppy, who landed gracefully.

"This way Poppy" Harry said, leading the Nurse through the narrow hallway and up the stairs. They walked quietly into the room where the little girl slept and Poppy walked quietly to Luna's side and whispered to her.

Harry doubted that Poppy would be able to help, unless she had seen something like this before, though with so little luck they had whilst at St. Mungo's Harry really didn't think the chances were good.

Harry went downstairs to see his husband and sons. Draco was sitting with three very distressed looking boys, obviously just having told them their fears for Lyda.

"Is she having visions?" Sirius asked, tapping Draco to get his attention.

"We think she might be, how-" though Draco stopped talking at Sirius abrupt departure.

Sirius made his way upstairs into Lyda's bedroom, where Blaise Luna and Madam Pomfrey were talking.

He went up to the matron and tapped her gently on the shoulder, Poppy turned around and looked at him; he signed "Could she be a seer?"

"I don't underst-" poppy began, but Luna cut in.

"He asked if she could be a seer." Luna then looked at Blaise; this possibility was fantastic news for them, because it meant she would get better.

"It's definitely a possibility, I can't offer a concrete diagnosis on that, but it definitely fits the symptoms. We would need a seer to be sure and other then Firenze I don't know where else we could get one."

Again Sirius tapped the Nurse, "My friend Tasmin Jordan knows a seer," Luna translated for him again, "I'll write to her and see if she can send the seer here."

Luna didn't bother saying the statement aloud, just hugged Sirius, "Thank you so much Siri," she said to him.

_Tasmin,_

_This is Sirius Potter, as it turns out, Lyda had been having dreams she couldn't wake up from, I suggested to Madame Pomfrey that she may be a seer, and she told me it was definitely a possibility, though we would need a seer to properly diagnose her._

_I need a huge favour from you, could you bring your sister to my place, 12 Grimmauld place, London, to have a look at her?_

_My whole family would be so grateful to you and her for any help you could give us._

_Best regards,_

_Sirius_


	3. Chapter 3

**25th September 2012**

Harry waited in the kitchen for their guests, the youngest, Tasmin came through first, looking around shyly, keeping her eyes away from his scar. Then the older girl, who must have been Olivia, the seer, stepped through extraordinarily gracefully and said hello to him politely, though her eyes seemed to bore into his very soul, and Lee Jordan was last through, happily embracing Harry and looking around excitedly.

"I haven't seen you since George's wedding, Harry, nice to see you again!"

"You too, Lee," Harry replied, already leading them upstairs, "Tasmin, Sirius and James are in the drawing room," Harry propped the door open and Tasmin slipped inside. The other three continued up the stairs.

"Hello James, Sirius," Tasmin said entering the room, Teddy was there too, writing a letter in the corner, the three boys looked up when she greeted them. Sirius waved, James just ignored her and Teddy said hello back. Tasmin was only in the room for a few minuets before Lysander and Lorcana slipped into the room, Lysander was eight, Lorcana nine.

"Hello," Lorcana said, "We were kicked out of the room, though she seems to be doing a little bit better."

"Hey Ana, San," Teddy said to the two. "This is Tasmin, Tasmin, this is Lysander and Lorcana, Lyda's older siblings."

"Hi."

* * *

><p>Olivia looked at the little girl, and then looked to her father. "Do you think she's a seer? I think she's a seer, I think it's very likely she's a seer."<p>

"Yeah it reminds me of when you were little Liv."

"Can I wake her up?" Olivia said to Luna, who nodded. Olivia prodded the little girl awake, she woke with a big yawn and used her little hands to brush her hair from her face.

"I'm Olivia," Olivia said, "I've heard you've been sick?"

"Yeah," Lyda said.

"How old are you Lyda?"

"I'm six"

"And where do you feel sick?"

"M' tired, and my head hurts a lot."

"Is that all?" Olivia said, "Is there anything else?"

"I've had bad dreams," Lyda confessed. She leaned in right next to Olivia. "You see them too."

"Yeah, they're not very nice. What are your dreams about, Lyda? Tell me what you see."

"I don't want to talk about them," Lyda said, rolling over and pretending to go back to sleep.

"I'll tell you about my dreams if you tell me about yours?" Olivia said. Lyda rolled over, and Harry could see the little Slytherin working away in her brain.

"You tell me first," Lyda said.

"Nah uh," Olivia said, shaking her head, "You have to tell me first. I promise I'll tell you mine when you've said yours."

Lyda considered it for a long while, getting tireder and tireder every passing minuet.

"Ok," She finally said, closing her eyes for a moment, "They're about Sirius, all of them, he's older though and fighting someone with magic, I don't know who it is, I only know its Sirius because the other man is yelling at him and calling him Sirius."

She had started crying by now, "Then Sirius falls through a curtain, but he doesn't come out the other side, I think he's dead." Lyda, finished in a terrified whisper. Harry sunk to his knees and smacked his head on the floor.

"No, no, no. no. no," Harry wailed, only Draco had spotted Sirius standing in the doorway, pale as a ghost.

"She's a seer," Olivia said, "I've been having a similar vision," she looked at Draco, "I don't know either of the men in that scene, it means its probably a very significant event, do you mind if I stay with Lyda?" She looked to Luna, "I might be able to get more information for you, specially since Lyda knows at least one of the people involved."

"You can stay," Harry said, he had composed himself, though was still on the floor, Sirius was by his side. "And when I find the other man in that vision, I'll kill him, I swear I will."

Draco once more saw the Harry Potter from their seventh year. The man on a mission, the man who stood in front of his classmates and took a cruciatus curse so his friends wouldn't have to.

* * *

><p>Olivia was tall and thin, she had dark skin and black, curly hair. She looked a lot like Lee but had sharper features. She also dressed nothing like Trelawny, which was what Harry was suspecting, she wore singlet tops a lot of the time and jeans, if it was cold she threw a robe over her shoulders, she was 14 years old but acted much older.<p>

Olivia was a lot like Luna in some ways. While Luna always had a very dreamy attitude and Olivia was very down to earth, they both radiated an air of 'I know something you don't.'

Olivia stayed with Lyda, who was very glad for the company, they worked alone together everyday to control Lyda's visions. They also worked alone so no one knew how it was going, though Lyda was getting better, she got her appetite back, she got sleep, she started to look like the little porcelain doll she always had been.

Though is seemed like the better Lyda got, the worse Harry got.

Mad eye moody died in the second war, and most think he was crazy, and he was there was no denying he was off his rocker, but Moody was one of the best soldiers in the first war, hell he was around, young but around when Grindelwald was at large Moody lived his whole life in a war, different wars, but still wars, and he never recovered from it.

Harry was the same, since he was one his life has been in danger, even his relatives never gave him a break, he had too look out for himself for fear of being smacked or hit or thrown to the floor, when he got to Hogwarts there was always something that needed fighting, He killed his dark arts professor when he was eleven, he killed a basilisk at 12, he saved his godfather from hundreds of dementors at 13, after another year of fearing for his life. Then Voldemort came back and the war truly began. Once he defeated Voldemort Bellatrix came after him, and now it looked like another dark lord would rise.

Harry was sleeping less, he would spend hours in an empty bedroom firing off spells, revising spells, and he was getting ready for another war to begin.

Draco didn't want Harry to fight this war, he had save the world three times already, but Draco knew he couldn't stop him.

Draco would fight this time too, because it was his sons in danger, and both of them knew what it was like to fight a war for the adults; they weren't about to put their children through that.

**30th September 2012**

Over the next week, Lyda was back to normal, she would space out sometimes but that was the total effect of her visions. The boys had had to do homework everyday, and then have a History lesson with Draco, which just about drove them all insane. He was trying to get them ahead in the syllabus to peeve off She-Weasel.

Draco kept a close eye on Lyda, all of them did, but Draco knew Harry would do anything he could to get information about the upcoming war, Olivia had Lyda wrapped around her little finger though. Lyda wouldn't even tell her older siblings what she saw. The boys were sent back to school, Sirius grudgingly, because without any other Gryffindors there James had been nice to him, and he missed that about home, about his brothers. Having your own family act embarrassed to speak to you was a horrible feeling.

It was after the boys, and Tasmin were back at school that Olivia finally gave them the information they needed.

"What do you know about seers?" She said, Luna looked to Blaise who shrugged, Draco stayed silent and Harry said "they see the future."

"That's both wrong and right," Olivia said, "You see, seers see a possible future, some see more than just one possibility, sometimes they see the future well beyond their lifetime, and they usually see the future of people close to them, or of events of great importance to a group of people." She paused. "The type of seer you know is a prophetic seer, they create prophecies, that will either be followed or ignored. What Lyda and I are, are Visionary seers, we see… snippets of the future, like a commercial, and sometimes they change sometimes they stay the same, but they always come true. The vision could change 2 seconds before its fulfilled, which is why we need to be careful what we tell people about the future; its subject to change."

She paused here for a moment, looking years older than she was. "The Vision you heard Lyda describe is one that I've been having since May, years ago, two men are fighting in a room, it has great stone steps all the way up the walls and in the centre of the room is a plateau, with a stone archway set in the centre and a ragged black curtain is swaying in the archway, there are two men fighting, one is named Sirius, the other we don't know who it is, and Sirius is hit by a curse and stumbles back through the veil." She paused again, her eyes boring into Harry's "This is what Lyda had trouble understanding, she can't comprehend that old drapery has the ability to kill someone, but I believe this is the case."

"Do you have any other information?" Harry asked, "We think another war is beginning, soon."

"I think you're right, I've had visions of a child, a girl, though I can't remember anything about her except she seemed isolated, somehow. I've seen her growing up, hating 'the other side' though I don't know what that means, muggles I suppose." Olivia was staring at the dark wood of the table.

"Has Lyda seen anything about her?"

"A bit but she remembers even less than me."

"Can you tell us anything about the man fighting Sirius, Olivia?" Harry asked then.

"I only know the sound of his voice, and that's useless because I have no idea how old he will be now, he's wearing a hooded cloak."

"Death eater?" Harry asked.

"What?" Olivia said, Harry gave Lee a disbelieving look, Lee just shrugged.

"Come with me, I'll show you," Draco said, standing up and making his way up stairs.

"Have you told her anything about the first war?" Harry asked Lee.

"I told her I used to run my own radio programme," Lee said with a shrug, Harry laughed, being reminded of the nights in the tent listening to Potter watch with Hermione and Ron.

Harry stopped laughing.

Draco fished out his old robe. It was in a box in the attic and put it on, then he pulled the hood up.

"Did he look like this?" Draco asked, Olivia shook her head.

"The robe was dark red and a different material."

"Were there any symbols or marking on it?"

"No, not that I remember, I'll keep that in mind next time I see the vision."

"Did you see this symbol at all?" Draco pushed his left sleeve up, exposing the Dark Mark scarred into his skin. Olivia shook her head, no.

"Ok then, so this is a new Dark Lord," Draco said, covering his arm and putting the robe back in the box. "How refreshing." He then led Olivia back to the kitchen.

"I don't think we're dealing with any ex-death eaters," Draco said, "Maybe the children of some."

"I didn't think we would be, all the extremist Death Eaters are dead. Thank you, Olivia for your help this week, but I think its time you went back to school."

"Yep," Lee said, Olivia just sighed.

"Ok then, I'll send you any more information I get."

"Thank you," Harry said, then left Luna and Blaise to say their goodbyes.

* * *

><p>"I want to start training the boys," Harry announced. He was sitting on the lounge, leaning against Draco who was reading a book of some kind.<p>

"Training?" Draco said, marking his page and setting the book aside. "Let them grow up first Harry, you know what its like to be fighting a war from day dot."

"But they need to know how to protect themselves, I got through Hogwarts because Ron grew up around the wizarding world and Hermione was trying to read every magical book in existence. It can't hurt."

"But they don't need it, in the vision, the girls say two _men_ are fighting," Draco wrapped his arms around Harry and kissed his hair.

"Then just let me train Sirius," Harry said, "I've been reading books on non-verbal spells, you know he has to perform all his spells non-verbally, but some work better than others, especially in combat." Harry looked at Draco, the worry for his son etched in every line of his face.

"It will be hard enough for Sirius to get through Hogwarts as it is Draco, let me help him?"

"Fine, but, don't treat him like a soldier, remember he's your son, and he's probably scared out of his mind."


	4. Chapter 4

**3rd October 2012**

Sirius was laying in bed when Mina came up to him.

"Sirius?"

There were only two boys sharing a room, its how the Slytherin dormitories worked because the only rooms used in the dungeons was the Potions classroom and the potion masters quarters, which weren't being used at the moment because Slughorn like to stay on the same level as the Great Hall.

From the common room there were two hallways, one for boys and one for girls, and each door had two or three names on it. Luckily for Sirius, His dorm mate was hardly ever in, Lucian Biancardi was a very studious boy and spent all his free time in the library.

Sirius rolled over to look at Mina.

Mina brought her hands up and with a deep look of concentration said, in sign language, "I learned sign language for you." Mina smiled at her now beaming friend, who jumped out of bed and crushed Mina in a massive hug.

"You'll have to go slow tho, Siri, I'm not very good." She warned.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Sirius signed, Mina smiled at him.

"That's what the big book was, sorry for ignoring you, by the way."

"Its ok Mina," Sirius signed slowly.

"We need to talk, you've been miserable since you got home, is Lyda alright?" She sat down next to Sirius on his bed.

"Lyda's fine," Sirius signed, "She's a seer, but she's been having a vision about me dying, in a fight."

"Like a bar fight or something?"

"No a duel, Dad thinks another war is coming, he's gone all crazy soldier again. Ayah said he was a really big part of the Voldemort wars."

"Yeah he was," Mina agreed, "He killed Voldemort." Sirius laughed.

"I knew that, but he did more than that, he was fighting since he was eleven."

"That's even younger than us!" Mina said. "And how are you and James?"

Sirius stopped laughing.

"He's ok when we're at home. But he'll hate me again soon."

"He's a prat, Siri, try not to dolphin about him."

"I know," Sirius sighed, trying not to laugh at her mistake. "We should probably get some sleep, Mina, goodnight."

"Ok," Mina said getting up, "Goodnight, Sirius," She left for her own room, flicking his lights out. Lucian still wasn't back.

* * *

><p>"Hey James, how is your cousin?"<p>

"Ok, she's a seer, so there was never a problem."

"Freaky," Nathan whispered.

"I know, 'ey?" James went back to his letter from Draco.

_Sirius has been having a lot of trouble fitting in at school. And you need to step up and be a big brother to him, James. You ignore him, your father and I both know it, and I'm sure you do to but he needs your help._

_We want you to be happy, but you have a responsibility to your brother too and we shouldn't have to tell you to fulfil it. It could have just as easily been you that Lucius took, and Sirius would be expected to help you out too. He is anyway I know he's been offering to help you with your school work. You can't let the house rivalry come between family._

_Love you, Ayah._

James scrunched up the paper and threw it in the fire.

"Wasn't that from your Dad?" Nathan asked.

"No, it was from Draco, he's my step mum, pretty much."

"You're family is so screwed up," Nathan said, then turning to greet Derrick and Randy as they sat down.

"I know," James replied. "Why can't dad have just remarried another woman after mum died?"

"Ah talking about your step mum again?" Derrick asked. Derrick Carlyle was a muggle born wizard. He had brown hair and was really tall for a 12 year old, but very plain looking.

"Yeah, James replied, you know my mum's family think my dad killed her?"

"Really?" Nathan asked. Nathan Robins was the son of Demelza Robins and had dark hair and tanned skin, he was also very self confident.

"Yeah, that's why we don't talk to the Weasley's much," James said. "And then Draco came along and ruined everything. That's why Sirius is in Slytherin _and_ why he can't speak."

"So your step dad ripped out his vocal chords or something?" Randy McLaggen asked. Randy was a big boy, and as arrogant as his father.

"No, Lucius Malfoy did. And both my parents were in Gryffindor. So Draco must have done something to Sirius to make him in Slytherin."

"Hello boys," Victorie Weasley slid herself into their circle, "What are you talking about?"

"James' screwed up family," Randy supplied.

"Oh," Victorie said, glancing over her shoulder at Teddy. "I'm on the good side of the family," she said smiling at them.

"Shut up Victorie," James snapped at her.

"Well I am, there are no dark wizards, no Slytherins, no murderers, no loons."

"No Loons?" Nathan asked, "what about George Weasley, he runs the joke shop in Diagon Alley, he's mental!"

"Yes but he's brilliant mental. He still talks to dad," James said, "I like Uncle George."

"He's embarrassing." Victorie said. "Hey James?"

"What? Why are you even here?"

"Does Teddy have a girlfriend?" Again Victorie was looking at Teddy, who was changing his hair different colours while he read a book.

"I don't know, he wouldn't like _you_ anyway. You're too little. Go away."

"Fine then." Victorie flicked her hair over her shoulder and stomped away.

"Why doesn't she like one of us? We're in her year!" Randy exclaimed, not talking his eyes off her as she sat down and started talking to her friends.

"Well she's related to me, and you three are ugly," James said, only to have three pillows thrown at him.

* * *

><p>"Draco?" Narcissa Malfoy slowly walked into the room.<p>

"Mother?" Draco got up and helped his mother across the room, at nearly 58 Narcissa had gracefully aged into a little old lady.  
>Whilst the events of the war had added nearly 20 years to her actual age she was a picturesque grandmother. Her blonde hair had greyed to a startling white and she had cut it short. She walked slowly and a little unsteady, but always smiled, she had even taken a liking to cooking sweets, and never showed up to their house empty handed.<p>

"Llaria told me about Lyda, how is she?"

"Llaria Zabini?" Draco asked, "I haven't seen her since Lyda was born. She's fine now, Mother, we were worried for a while there though."

"And Harry?" Narcissa asked.

"That's a different story." Draco said, Narcissa just waited for him to offer further information.

"He's not doing so well, mentally, I mean." Draco said quietly. "Do you remember Mad Eye Moody?" Draco asked his mother. A look of understanding crossed her pale features.

"Moody lived through two wars though; he was how he was because of the second war, Draco," Narcissa trailed off. "What's going on?"

* * *

><p>Narcissa snuck from her guest room up the stairs to the next floor. Grimmauld place was still familiar to her; it was where she grew up, at aunt Walburga's house. There were five floors, the basement, with the kitchen and laundry, then the ground floor, where there was a small study and library, sitting room, a bathroom and some bedrooms; this was where she stayed, in one of the two guest rooms. Then there was the floor where the Zabinis stayed, there were four bedrooms on that floor, then there was another floor with some more bedrooms Sirius', James' and Teddy stayed here, then the top floor, with the master bedroom.<p>

But it was the second floor Narcissa was interested in.

Lyda's room was light purple, decorated with purple silhouettes of unicorns on the walls. Narcissa went to the girl and gently shook her shoulder.

"Aunt Cissa?" The little girl asked groggily. "Is it time for breakfast?"

"No sweetie, it's very late at night. There's something you need to tell me."

**4th October 2012**

Sirius was almost at the end of his patience. He really wasn't cut out for teaching. It was the biggest difference between him and his father. Harry loved teaching. Sirius hated it.

Tasmin was a smart girl; she was just a bit slow. It took her forever to grasp a concept. Sirius was easily bored. He wanted to dive straight into the hard stuff. But no. Basics were needed, Sirius grumbled as Tasmin again asked for help on the same thing for at least the tenth time.

"This is really hard, Sirius," Sirius shrugged.

"Practice will help. Have you been practicing?" He asked with sign. Obviously.

Tasmin thought for a second, "What do you need help with?"

Sirius was very proud of himself for not upending the table.

He wrote his question down.

"Oh, sorry, well I've been really busy, with homework and my friends and stuff."

_Tasmin, you wont improve if you don't practice, I'm putting in the time and effort to plan the lessons, I don't want to waste all that work for you to make excuses._

_You have to work at this if you want to do it. It's easy._

"It might be easy for you, but it's really hard for me!"

"_Well I don't have a choice, Tasmin." _Sirius wrote.

"Sorry."

"Hey Sirius, Tasmin," Teddy looked over his shoulder at the paper scraps covering the table. "How's the lesson going?"

"Terribly!" Tasmin exclaimed, "It's so hard! Sirius doesn't get how hard it is."

Sirius lost it then, he just left.

"Stick around Sirius I need to talk to you!" Teddy yelled after him, and then he sat down with Tasmin.

"Remember it's not his choice to have learnt sign language, Tasmin, He lost his voice at a very young age, he had to learn it so he could communicate."

"He lost his voice?" Tasmin asked, "I thought he was born like that?"

"No, he lost it in an… accident when he was three. My dad made all of us learn sign language with him, and I found that signing as you speak is a good way to practice. I still do so I don't start to forget like James' does."

"That seems easy enough, I guess. My friends laugh at me because I spend time with him."

"Why?" Teddy looked at where his little brother had disappeared.

"He's in Slytherin." Tasmin said blushing.

"Ok, do you keep a diary, Tasmin?"

"Yes."

"Every night you should sign what you write in there for practice, how does that sound?"

"That's a really good idea, Thank you Teddy; I like your hair by the way." Giggling, Tasmin left.

"Sirius?" Teddy asked the library. A piece of paper fell into his lap.

_Your hair looks ridiculous. Purple, really?_

Teddy laughed. Sirius sat down across from him.

"Dad wants to see you; he's in the Shrieking shack." Teddy handed Sirius the famous silvery cloak. The boys knew about the Whomping Willow tunnel, Harry had told them when they first went to Hogwarts.

Sirius nodded seriously to Teddy before donning the cloak and swiftly disappearing from the library.

* * *

><p>"Bloody Potters!" Hermione was sitting in the lounge room of their house. They lived in London, far away form before mentioned Potters. Hermione had a handful of papers to mark, all of them from the three Potter boys. Apparently, Malfoy had taken it upon himself to cover the whole syllabus, and had them write an essay for every topic. She was expected to mark these?<p>

"Look at what they've done, Ron!" she brandished the papers under her husbands nose. "Who do they think they are? Think they can walk all over anyone because it suits them?"

"It's terrible," Ron said from where he was lounging, half asleep with a quiddich magazine draped over his stomach. Hermione just kept ranting as she left the room.

Rose walked into the lounge room with her father.

"Dad?" She said, he looked up.

"Hello Rosie!" He picked her up and sat her on his knee.

"You're going to be better than Potter,s kids," He told her, "You'll be the one everyone looks at, you'll be the one who gets all the money and attention, won't you? Rosie. You'll beat his little Slytherin spawn at Quiddich, and in all your exams, you'll be my perfect little Gryffindor; better than them all."

* * *

><p>Harry stood very still in the old broken house. Sirius poked his head above the floor and looked around cautiously.<p>

"Sirius?" Harry said, Sirius spotted him relieved and pushed himself through the tunnel. He waved meekly.

"Sirius," Harry said, "I know what its like to have a prophecy looming over my neck, I want to help you, son."

Sirius just nodded, he was expecting this.

"I want to teach you non-verbal offensive and defensive spells, there are spells designed to work better without the incantation said, Draco is working on developing some more, closer to the ones we know, and what you learn at school."

"Is this entirely necessary?" Sirius asked.

"Hopefully not, but it will help you at school a lot anyway."

And so Sirius' training began.

**Early that Morning**

"Aunt Cissa, why do I have to tell you?" Lyda looked up with her big tired eyes.

"Don't you ever get tired of worrying about things all to yourself?" Narcissa asked, sitting down on the side of her bed.

"Uncle Daco already tried that. I don't want to tell, and Liv told me not to." Lyda just looked tired, and stubborn.

"You have a special power," Narcissa said, "You know, I have one too."

Now Lyda was interested.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Tell me what I want to know, Lyda, and I'll tell you."

Lyda was thinking.

"There's a girl, she's a big girl, and she's very sad, then she's very angry, then she calls an older boy into the room and tells him to 'get Potter'. He's wearing a dark red cloak with the hood up." Narcissa looked at her intently.

"That's not all," She said to Lyda.

"No," Lyda said, "there's another vision, I think the same man is fighting Sirius, and Sirius looses, he dies."

"There's one more, Lyda. What is it?" Narcissa had her eyes closed now.

"It's about you, Aunt Cissa, you're fighting with a man, and he keeps yelling, 'death eater scum' at you then he curses you, I can't remember any thing else though, I'm sorry."

"Thankyou little one," Narcissa said, pulling the little girl close to her. "Would you like to know my power?" Lyda nodded.

"When I was a little girl, my Aunt got very angry at me, because my cousin ran away from home, and I knew he planned it, but didn't tell anyone." Narcissa paused.

"She was so angry she cursed me, but she didn't do it properly, she messed it up."

"So what's your power aunt Cissa?"

"I don't know how, but since then, I know things. I don't know how, I just do."

"Like, reading minds?"

"Yes a bit like that, I suppose, except I don't need someone to be thinking about it, I can tap into their subconscious, know what they're thinking about. I can't control it though. It's a funny sort of power." Narcissa smiled at the little girl.

"Aunt Cissa can I go back to sleep please?"

"Yes darling, goodnight." Narcissa left the room with a troubled grimace on her face.

**Saturday Afternoon (4th October)**

"James!" Randy ran up to him waving his arms frantically, "James! Quiddich tryouts!"

A huge smile spread across James' face.

"Yes, we can try out this year!" I want to be a seeker like my dad." The boys continued up the corridor, a spring in their step.

"I want to try for beater, my dad was a keeper, but he said I'm more of a beaters build," Randy mimed swinging a big heavy bat.

"I can't wait, when are they on? Who's captain?"

"They're next Saturday and the captain is a seventh year, can't remember the name, someone Wood I think."


	5. Chapter 5

**7th October 2012**

Sirius was in the library with Tasmin for another useless lesson, she wasn't practicing, it was obvious, and he didn't even know why he bothered anymore.

"But that's not that, it's this isn't it? Look in the book… oh sorry, I suppose you know more about it than me."

Sirius nodded dully.

"Are you paying attention is this right for this?" She had the sign for 's' made in her hands, and was poking him with it.

Sirius shook his head.

"You haven't been practicing." He told her.

She smiled and nodded. He wrote it down.

"I'm sorry, I've been so busy."

_You have to practice, Tasmin, and we're not having another lesson until you've caught up with what we've already done, you're wasting my time._

She read the note, grabbed her books and promised to owl him when she caught up.

He didn't expect to hear from her again.

Mina did practice though; she signed everything she said, even when answering questions in class.

* * *

><p>Saturday rolled by, and neither James, Derrick, Randy or Nathan got onto the team, they weren't even allowed to try out, apparently, 12 was 'too young', so James was in a foul mood when he got the letter from Draco;<p>

_James, we haven't heard from you in a while, even Sirius is a bit worried about how much you've distanced yourself from your family. We received an owl from the Headmistress today, you've had detention every night this month for Professor Slughorn and haven't shown up for any of them, or any of your potions classes, James, this behaviour is unacceptable, you will need to see Professor Slughorn and arrange a way to make up the detentions and lost lessons, and you will be grounded once you get home for the holidays, we'll talk about this further then._

_You have to go to your lessons, James, this is totally deplorable behaviour._

_On a different note, we heard about the quiddich tryouts, too bad, better luck next year._

_Love Dad and Ayah._

"What's that James?" Randy asked

"Letter from Draco," James replied, throwing it in the fire. "Blah, blah, blah, blah be nice to Sirius, blah, blah, blah go to class, blah, blah, blah you failed at quiddich boo-hoo." James scowled at the burning parchment. "I don't believe what a prat he is!" James said, "He can't tell me what to do!"

"I know, he's such a ponce," Derrick said, "Doesn't your dad have a Firebolt?"

"Yeah, best broom ever made and he won't give it to me! Can you believe that?" James stood up in front of his friends.

"He told me it was too fast for me, he got it when he was 13, that's just a year older than me! And Draco has a Nimbus 2001, which he got when he was 12! And I'm stuck with a stupid Cleansweep 12!" James grumbled. "I would have gotten onto the team if I had dad's Firebolt."

"Yeah, not like he uses it anymore, hey?" Derrick said.

"He doesn't, and it's old but they haven't managed to develop a faster racing broom since. Even the latest Nimbus hasn't beaten it." James glared at his shiny new broom.

"You do have the latest Cleansweep though, James." Nathan pointed out, "it's the best broom out of all of ours, Derrick doesn't even have a broom."

"But I could have better, Nathan, don't you see? It's Draco's fault, he uses people, he's using my dad for his fame and power, he's using Teddy for his Metamorphagi abilities, he's using Sirius as his little Slytherin minion, and Scorpius and Lucas are his actual kids. I'm to strong for him to control, so he just tries to make me totally miserable!"

"That's terrible, it's like child abuse," Derrick said, "You should go to the school nurse about it!"

"Should I? Do you really think it's that bad?" James asked, and Derrick nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, look at it like this, Draco has just waltzed into your life, tried to take control and is being nasty to the kids that aren't his. Tell Madame Pomfrey, she tells your dad, and then your dad will leave Draco!" Derrick was standing up now; ready to drag James to the hospital wing. "You don't even need to tell the truth," Derrick continued, "just make the nurse believe it, she tells your dad and he'll leave Draco no questions asked, right?"

"That's a really good plan, Derrick, you think it will work?" Randy said.

"I think it will, I know my dad well, he has a really short temper, he's going to pop a cauldron when he's told about it!" James was jumping excitedly now.

"Let's go tomorrow," Derrick said.

* * *

><p>"Sirius, where do you disappear to?" Mina sat right in front of Sirius on his four poster bed. The covers were emerald green, the sheets white.<p>

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked him.

"You know what I mean," Mina said, signing alongside her words.

"I've been meeting up with my father." Sirius said.

"What for?" Mina pressed. "I know there's something troubling you, friend."

Sirius was still for a very long time.

"I can't really tell you, sorry." Sirius signed.

Mina raised an eyebrow, "then show me, or write me, or inform me in an indirect manner." she said. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Please, Sirius?"

Sirius sighed and tried to ignore the ridiculous 'puppy dog eyes' Mina was trying to pull.

"Fine!" He signed.

* * *

><p>Olivia liked being 'in the loop', and generally she always was, weather it was her friends petty gossip or the beginnings of an end-of-the-world war, she was in the loop. What her father didn't know is that Harry Potter guaranteed her a place in 'the loop'.<p>

She contacted him about everything, every war-related vision, in as much detail she could remember; he was training her to pick up on the smallest details.

As far as coaching for being an informant, she couldn't have asked for a better coach.

She learned to look for the tiniest things, what the place looked like, distant sounds, hidden passageways, nametags, signs, runes or symbols, spells, what wands looked like. He didn't miss a beat; Olivia thought he was a genius.

"FUCK!" Olivia shouted, sitting up ram-rod straight in her bed. The midnight blue curtains swirled around her as her friends and dorm mates worriedly came to nosy around in her business.

"What's wrong Olivia?" Shannon worriedly mothered over her, checking her vitals – she wanted to be a healer.

"Get off me," Olivia said, harshly pushing the other girls away, "It was a nightmare, I'm fine!"

She swung her legs from the bed and threw her winter cloak over her bare shoulders. Barefoot she ran down the spiral staircase and out of Ravenclaw tower.

She ran as fast as she could down the corridors, jumping over Mrs Norris – her dad couldn't believe the snarky old cat was still alive – and kept running until she got to the stone gargoyle.

"Sherbet lemon!" She huffed at the statue and jumped past it before it had completely moved out of the way.

She had never knocked so hard on a door in her life, and a bedraggled headmistress answered, tight lipped and holding her wand lit.

"Miss Jordan! What is the meaning of this?" McGonagall exclaimed.

"I need to floo Harry, I have to talk to Harry, right now."

"Harry? Harry Potter?"

"Yes, yes him, please professor?" Olivia pleaded with her headmistress.

"Very well Miss Jordan, I will, request his presence here tonight, just wait in here."

Rather than take the offered chair, she began pacing while Professor McGonagall fished her floo powder from the neat glass container on the mantle piece and threw it into the dying flames.  
>"Number 12 Grimmauld Place!" She stepped into the flames and disappeared.<p>

Olivia waited impatiently.

Harry jumped awake when Kreacher popped into his room. Draco remained asleep.

"Master Potter" The old elf croaked, "Headmistress McGonagall is be wanting to see you in the kitchen."

"What's the problem?" Harry asked, Jumping from bed and throwing on a robe over his shoulders.

"Professor?" He asked, seeing the stern headmistress standing quietly in the kitchen.

"Mr. Potter, I'm sorry to disturb you at so late an hour but Olivia Jordan just came barrelling into my office demanding to see you." McGonagall pursed her lips. "I presume it has something to do with her… abilities?" McGonagall's illustrious disapproval of divination was obvious.

"May I see her?" Harry asked. McGonagall offered a tight nod.

Olivia very nearly jumped on him when he stepped through the floo.

"Something's changed," She continued to pace, "The vision of the veil has changed, he doesn't fall through the veil, he's left alive, on the floor, he was disarmed by a woman she came in from behind," Olivia looked at Harry, "And she said 'well done my pet' then the vision stopped."

"Has anything else changed?" Harry asked, and then clarified, "Any other visions?"

"None this drastically," Olivia stated, "Some have; just a tiny detail or two, but nothing has changed like that one has."

"What did the woman look like?" Harry asked, staring intently at Olivia.

"She was tall and thin," she said, "her face was covered by her hood. That's all I remember."

**8th October 2012**

"I dunno, Derrick, He's still Scorpius and Lucas' father. And Dad's been with him for like seven years." The group of Gryffindor boys were slowly approaching the hospital wing.

"Look, people have divorced parents all the time, they will probably spend a few days with him, you don't have to go, and do you want to get rid of him? He's not your dad, and he's not exactly an ideal step mum is he?"

"No," James sighed. "But still."

"Look James, it's his fault Sirius is a slimy, untrustworthy snake, isn't it? What's to say he turns your dad on Gryffindor too? And Teddy is already in danger of neglect 'cause he's adopted!" Derrick patted James on the back. "Think about it, I reckon you should stomp the evil from your family while you can."

James gave Derrick a funny look. He was a little bit of a nut job at times, and James knew Draco wasn't that bad, he just hated that Draco thinks he can boss James around, Draco was just like any other adult, he didn't _have_ to listen to him if he didn't want to.

"Hang on, let me break something, so its like authentic!"

"Hell no," James said, "I'll do it," James said, they were out the front of the hospital wing. The boys cheered him on then pushed him into the ward.

James made to turn and leave immediately, but the nurse caught him before he could escape and invited him to sit on a bed.

"You're one of Harry's boys," She said with a smile, then checked his temperature. "What's the problem?"

"I uh, I'm here about Draco." James stuttered, behind the Nurses back he could see 'thumbs up' sticking through the door from his friends.

Draco deserved this, didn't he?

"What's the matter?" Madame Pomfrey said with a frown.

"He doesn't like me," James said, "and he's always trying to tell me what to do."

Madame Pomfrey gave him a look, one he didn't appreciate, as if he was being silly.

"He threatens me," James splurted out, completely lying now, "And he hits me sometimes but not often he said if I ever told dad he wouldn't feed me."

"Oh dear," Pomfrey said, "Does Mr. Potter know anything about this?"

James shook his head, desperately avoiding her eyes.

"I didn't want to tell him in case Draco found out." James gulped. "I'm afraid."

He didn't see the nurse narrow her eyes.

"I'll need you to write a statement, put in as much detail as you can.

James nodded and took the parchment and quill she summoned.

* * *

><p>Poppy looked at the blue-eyed boy that could be a clone of James Charlus Potter. But this was James Harry Potter.<p>

She knew Draco Malfoy, he was a bully in his school days but he had changed. Draco was such a gentlemen now, and the most loving father the boys could ask for.

Harry himself is too clever to never not notice something like child abuse going on in his own home, especially since as a child Harry himself was quite severely abused. The boy was still writing, and Poppy noticed the shuffling of feet outside the infirmary door, it cracked open and a thumbs up stuck through.

She called her owl and summoned more parchment and quill and ink.

_Hello Harry,_

_I must say its both good and bad to not have seen you in a while, I need you come see me as soon as you can - come alone and floo straight to my office._

_Not too much to worry about, please be brisque about your visit though._

_Best regards, Love Poppy._

It was the very next day that Poppy heard from Harry, he was indeed alone and looked quite unnerved.

He smiled and greeted her and she looked at the ground, pulling James' statement from her pocket.

"James came in yesterday, claiming Draco was abusing him," Poppy put her hand on Harry's shoulder to stop him flooing home and murdering Draco.

"I checked him over completely and found no signs of it, I believe he's lying," She handed him the statement. He began reading right away.

"I don't believe this," Harry said shaking his head.

"Neither do I, it's my job to report this right away, but I'll go straight to Neville for you and keep it very quiet, but I thought you could use some warning."

"I appreciate it, I need to be going."

Poppy looked after him worried.

**12th October 2012**

Draco was appalled at the accusation from Harry and his Auror Partner, Paolo Biancardi.

"Harry, I would never, ever-" Draco stopped, tears in his eyes.

"I know love," Harry said, "Its not serious right now, I've spent the last three weeks in and out of the ministry keeping it quiet and keeping as many people out of it as possible." He sighed, "We can talk later, right now you have to come with us to the ministry, take virtasirum, Paolo will question you and that's it."

Draco nodded and wiped the tears from his eyes, Harry took his hand and led him out of their home and they all apparated to the ministry.

Draco was taken to the courtroom where three drops of the truth potion was administered by a healer (a large dose is dangerous for the mind; which is why it is not used often in trials)

Paolo Stepped forward, He was a foreign wizard who had wanted to send his son to Hogwarts. He was very tan and had brown hair, and short and stocky and Harry, didn't dislike him, but he didn't spend any more time than compulsory with him.

"Have you ever hit James Harry Potter intentionally with the purpose to injure or threaten him, with any object, spell or physical contact, including objects being thrown, shoved, or set up with the intent to injure?" Paolo asked in his Italian accent.

"No," was Draco's blunt and lifeless answer

"Have you ever threatened to hurt, mistreat or neglect James Harry Potter?"

"No," Draco answered again.

"Has any abusive behavior gone on within your house hold or family, including abuse of physical, emotional and psychological behavior."

"Yes," Draco said as lifeless as before.

"Mr. Malfoy," Paolo said, completely serious, "Please recount all incidents of child abuse in your home."

"There are no cases of child abuse in my current home."

Paolo frowned and looked to Harry, who, shaking slightly, stepped forward.

"Mr. Malfoy, please recount all incidents of child abuse within your family."

"As a child my husband, Harry James Potter was abused by his relatives by means of beatings, starvation, neglect and slavery." Draco was still using the completely emotionless tone of someone who had taken the truth potion.

"During my adolescence," Draco continued in his emotionless drone, "I was hit and cursed by my father."

Paolo looked at Harry with an odd look in his eyes.

"The final information is of no relevance to this case, Draco Malfoy you are judged not guilty to the accusation of child abuse and neglect against James Harry Potter."

Paolo left the room without saying a word and Harry took Draco to the fireplace in the courtroom. He unlocked the grate with his key and took the small pouch of floo powder from his pocket, and flooed straight to Grimmauld Place's kitchen.

"What's your favorite color?" Harry asked.

"Green," Draco responded still oblivious to his compliance of Harry's useless question.

"Have you ever wanted to bottom?" Harry asked, then looked around to make sure they were alone.

"No," Draco responded straight away.

"Were you upset about the sectumsempra incident?" Harry asked suddenly, it was a topic Draco often avoided.

"No," Draco replied, surprising Harry, he remembered to ask about that later too, Harry rifled around the kitchen pulling together all the ingredients for a nice sandwich, still asking Draco ridiculous questions.

"Did you enjoy being turned into a ferret?" Harry asked as he buttered the bread.

"No."

"Who was the first person you shagged?" Harry asked, Draco replied 'Seamus Finnegan' Which almost caused Harry to drop the peanut butter he was using to make his sandwich.

"How long ago did the potion wear off?"

"Just that last question," Draco smiled finally and Harry was so happy to see him smile, he skipped across the kitchen and hugged his husband tightly, sandwich forgotten.

**15th December 2012**

For the boys at Hogwarts, the Christmas holidays didn't come fast enough, Sirius was looking forward to them in particular, between training with his dad, teaching Mina and Tasmin sign and avoiding the Gryffindors… and his schoolwork, of course, he was strained.

The Hogwarts express puffed into the station and Harry and Luna were waiting for them all, waving at their friends and acquaintances.

Sirius and Mina got to them first, Mina still having no sign of her parents.

"Hello Siri, how was the term?" Luna ruffled his hair as Sirius attached himself to Harry's side. Sirius just shrugged.

Teddy came over next, his hair a rather painful shade of Weasley red.

"I lots a bet," was his explanation to Harry's raised eyebrow.

While Teddy told him about the term Luna kept an eye out for James.

James was standing in his compartment still, watching Harry and Luna with his brothers.

See. That was right, like the other kids, a mum and dad there to pick him up. It was nice for James to just pretend for a bit.

He pulled his trunk over to where they were all talking, his dad greeting him with a happy but stern look.

"You haven't been behaving, James."

"So?" James asked meekly, looking at his shoes.

"We'll talk later."

To him it sounded like more of a threat.

Christmas bored James, he would rather be with his friends, Lucas, at seven months was a pain and Sirius just moped around or studied.

"Hello James," Teddy said waltzing into the drawing room and flopping down on a bed. "how are you? Have you done any of your holiday assignments?"

James rolled his eyes at Teddy, of course he didn't do them.

"You know Ayah wanted me to talk to you about that," Teddy looked at him, "You really need to do your schoolwork, they'll home school you if you don't, and you know how painful Draco's history lessons are."

"I'm not going to be a good little nerd like you because some random asked me to." James said.

"Draco's our dad, not some-"

"He's not our dad, and never will be our dad, because Harry Potter is our dad and our Mum is dead." James said. "I don't like him."

"Actually, James, both my parents are dead, so thanks for letting me know that my parents aren't ever going to actually be my parents." Teddy then stormed from the room. Oops.

Draco ruins everything.

* * *

><p>"JAMES!"<p>

Sirius jumped about a foot in the air and Mrs. Black's portrait started screaming. She didn't say foul things now, as there were no Muggleborns in her house (except Teddy but the painting didn't know his father was a werewolf).

Sirius saw James creeping past his bedroom door and dashed over to stop him.

"Where are you going?" Sirius signed to him. "Dads upstairs, he's not in the kitchen."

"I'm going to floo into Diagon Alley; He's gotten my school report obviously."

Sirius eyes went wide.

"Ayah said we were to never use the floo by ourselves."

"DRACO can stuff it up his arse." James said before continuing on his way.

Sirius watched James disappear in the flames, concerned, then he heard Dad stomping around the house looking for his brother.

Sirius weighed out his options. James would know he was the one to tell dad, but dad would be furious if he ever found out he knew where James flooed off to, James really did need an attitude adjustment. With that thought, Sirius took off up the stairs after his Dad.

Harry was in the drawing room talking to Teddy, Sirius grabbed his sleeve and quickly signed;

"Dad, James went to Diagon Alley in the floo, I told him not to but he didn't listen."

Harry pated his son on the back,

"Thankyou Sirius, please tell Draco where I've gone."


	6. Chapter 6

Rose Weasley was watching her father play with Hugo. He actually liked Hugo, the most important thing about Rosie was that she was as smart as her mother, that she would be better than the Potter Kids. Rose didn't even know who the Potter kids were. Whenever she asked her father just told her she would be so much better than them. Her mother was always at work, she lived in the castle most of the time and when she was home she was always planning lessons and marking papers or cooking and cleaning. Rose hated her brother, Hugo didn't have anything special about him, he was stupid and always took her things, even when Rosie had them first her mother still yelled at her for not sharing with her brother.

Maybe if her mum and dad were made to share, they might understand.

Hugo took all of Rose's dollies, and he had his own boy-dollies to play with.

Well, thought Rosie. Mummy and Daddy both have a magic wand, she looked at her dad's wand, just sitting on the side table. Maybe if they were made to share they would make Hugo play with his own dollies…

So Rosie waited until her dad was sleeping and toddled over to take his wand, she hid it, then in her special box in the wardrobe where she kept some of her favourite things. There was the head of Nelly's barbie doll, Nelly had ignored her for a whole day at muggle-school so Rosie broke her toy, and took it so it could never be fixed. Rosie also had a little locket, that she took of Melody, who was another girl that didn't like Rosie, Melody made all the other girls run away from her.

She placed her daddy's wand in the box with her other treasures, and she shut the box and hid it in its special spot.

She was going to take something from the Potter Kids too.

**HP**

James couldn't stop coughing when he was shot out of the floo, He didn't realise how much ash and crap was in the grate, it made saying Diagon Alley really difficult.

James looked around at the shop he landed in. It was probably a part of the Leaky Cauldron he had ever been in before, it was certainly dirty enough. Looking around though, he doubted more and more he was even in Diagon Alley. There were various deformed heads and nasty spiked weapons. Dark leather bound books that seemed to be covered in various forms of goo and jewellery and trinkets all locked away behind glass cases, with warnings and threats stuck on the glass.

"Hello?" The boy said, "Hello?" he went to the counter, "Where am I? Hello, does anyone even work here!"

There was a rough bang and James jumped.

"Boy wha're you doing in my shop here?" The man was hunched over and very old, he had no hair and pieces of metal pierced through his skin, his face was covered in a pattern of scars, like they were there on purpose. He was followed by a little old woman, who had thin wild grey hair and most of her teeth were missing along with both of her eyes.

"Wait there dear," The woman said, holding back the man.

"Aren't you an interesting little fellow, all alone, and so rude in our shop," The lady picked up a short curved hook-like blade.

"So does your Mummy know you're here, boy?" The lady snapped, swinging the blade around so the tip was right on James' neck.

"My mum's dead, please, I'm hiding from my dad and Draco they want to get me in trouble 'cause I'm not going so good at school!" James was too scared to dart away from the blind woman, but when the man jumped forward, plowing into her and making her cut his neck; he did jump away before he was decapitated.

"Draco Malfoy?" The man screamed in question.

"Shut up, oaf," the woman screamed. "Such a pity, Draco Malfoy being you're father, isn't it boy?"

"He's not my dad, Harry's my dad, and when my mum died I just wanted a normal, lady mum!"

"Well, well," The old woman smiled and grabbed his collar, dragging him to the counter.

She opened a drawer and pulled out a bottle with a clear potion in it.

"Here I have a potion that will fix that," She smiled, "You wanted a mum, so why not make yourself one, hmm?"

James looked at the potion.

"So It'll turn Draco into a lady?" James said, thinking.

The old couple behind the counter nodded, "Luck is in you're favour boy, I hate those ruddy no good flaky Malfoys so much, I'll let you have it for free, eh?" The old man flung the potion to James, who caught it and looked at it.

"Think about it, huh? The Malfoy's always pride themselves on who they are, it would humiliate Draco, and your poof of a father wouldn't like him anymore would he?"

The old lady nodded and blindly pushed him from the store into an alley. It was full of dark smelly people hunched over and moving quickly, James slipped the potion into his cloak and headed down the street.

There was a crack that broke the air and many of the shoppers stopped, starteled and stared.

Harry Potter stood before James, James imagined with the same look on his face as when he killed the Dark Lord.

"Come with me." Harry said, grabbing James' arm.

"You're grounded, all summer." Harry began with when they were in the kitchen at home. He held the report card from Hogwarts in one hand and his cane in the other. "Don't think this is just because of your grades, you'll be tutored all summer to catch up, and you need to go and apologize to Draco for going to the infirmary in the school term and reporting him for child abuse."

James looked at the floor, he had forgotten about that. He hadn't even know that Poppy contacted Dad about it. Harry wasn't yelling yet, but James was more scared this way.

"Three week's it took to clear that up, three, Draco was in and out of the ministry and the press! Its difficult enough keeping the press away as it is without you dragging up all this rubbish."

James stopped listening, he couldn't believe Dad didn't even ask him if it was true or why he did it, didn't bother, as if Draco's word was final.

"And running off to Diagona Alley, I thought you knew better. James." Harry shook his head disappointed. He continued to talk about how upset Draco was because of it.

Fucking Draco.

James felt the potion bump against him under his cloak. Time to make a big change around here.

* * *

><p><strong>24th December 2012<strong>

* * *

><p>James was sitting alone in the kitchen. Dad had taken Scorpius, Teddy, Sirius and Sirius' friend Mina to Diagon alley for ice-cream, The Zabini's were visiting Mrs Zabini for the summer so it was just him, Draco and Lucas.<p>

James was hiding, waiting for Draco to enter the kitchen, Lucas had just gone to sleep and sure enough Draco came into the kitchen and made himself a sandwich for a late lunch, he poured a goblet of Pumpkin juice and sat with his back to James.

Under the invisibility cloak, James snuck closer and closer to Draco. He didn't know how he would get the potion in the drink until Draco stood abruptly, and left the room.

James smiled, he poured the potion into the drink and turned to run back upstairs.

He stopped when the fireplace lit up green. Sirius and Mina came through first, then Teddy, and then Harry with Scorpius in his arms.

Harry called out to Draco and looked around the kitchen.

Harry then spotted Draco's unfinished lunch, scooped up the goblet and downed the contents in a single gulp.

James ran.

* * *

><p>Sirius smiled as Draco came into the kitchen too, Draco frowned at Dad though.<p>

"Did you just eat my lunch?"

Sirius looked at Harry who was indeed chow-ing down on the other half of Draco's sandwich and smiling at him.

Draco took Scorpius and said a friendly hello to Mina, who signed hello back which got a standing ovation from Draco.

"Siri," Harry smiled at his son, "Could you get James for me I want to give him his ice-cream?"

Sirius nodded and ran upstairs with Mina to get James, leaving to the sound of Harry explaining that no ice-cream was on the list of revoked privileges and Draco laughing at him.

When they burst into James' room Mina explained about the ice-cream and James half-heartedly got off his bed and almost snuck down to the kitchen, gingerly accepting his ice-cream.

James noticed dad had gotten his favourite topping, and said thank-you quietly whilst hoping maybe the potion had been a dud, after all, a woman with no teeth in Knockturn Alley had given it to him for free, right?

Just as James finished this uplifting thought, Harry collapsed, he fell forward onto the kitchen table and then slipped onto the floor, the cane clattered to the ground and there was a sickening crunch that sounded like bones shifting, like when Harry changed at full moon.

"Harry!" Draco cried and immediately told Teddy to call St. Mungos, Draco then made the twins, Scorpius and Mina go upstairs.

* * *

><p>James waited with bated breath for what seemed like years, but it was only an hour before they heard from someone again. Teddy walked into the room with Lucas, informing them that dad was alive and being taken to St. Mungo's.<p>

The next person they heard from was Mina's parents Dean and Padma Thomas who asked what happened and waited until Narcissa came to take care of them.

"Grandma Cissa!" Teddy hugged the woman straight away, she had a worried look on her face but told the boys everything was just fine and Dad would pull through. She immediately nursed Lucas and at one point gave James a very odd look but he couldn't think why, there was no way anyone could know this was his fault.

By next morning Draco had come home and had sat all of them down in the dining room to tell them the news.

"Boys," he started, "First of all, Dad's been poisoned, he'll be alright though. We think it was intended for me seeing as it was only chance he ended up taking that drink." Draco had an odd look on his face.

"The potion was designed to make someone ugly," Draco explained, dumming it all down a bit. "But it mixed with my fertility potion and the werewolf virus to just make Harry a girl."

"So dad's a mum now?" Teddy asked bluntly, Draco just nodded.

"Will you still like Dad?" Scorpius ran to his father and climbed up on his lap, "He'll still be our dad won't he?"

"Yeah, I'll always love your dad, okay boys? Never doubt that."

"James," Grandma Malfoy beckoned him to her and he went.

"Help me to my room, will you dear, my back is playing up again."

James grabbed her arm and helped the old bat up the stairs, on the landing to her room she pulled him inside and, back pain forgotten, ordered him to take a seat.

"One thing you need to know James, is that Grandma Cissa knows _everything_. What you've done is very serious, because that potion you tried to give _my son_ is designed to very slowly kill someone, its pure luck you didn't kill any one of the people living here."

Narcissa gave him a very disappointed glare.

I will not tell your fathers, or mother and father, now, rather, about this because I can't begin to explain how much it would hurt them but if I ever catch you sneaking another potion into a drink or food or even this house again, I will bring out the old belt Aunt Walburga used to put me back in line, I swear to you now boy."

James was pale and shaking, he was frightened of this woman, who was not his grandmother or even his relative.

"I know you don't believe we're related at all, but as Harry –as the head of the House of Black- is my family and therefore you're my family too, and I love you like a grandson James but you need to know what you've done is wrong, and I will not let it go unpunished. So, I forbid you to try out for the house teams while you're at Hogwarts." James immediately began to protest, she put her hand up, an indication to stop. "If you do try out, I will tell Harry what you've done and see if he doesn't think that's just punishment, mmm?" Narcissa raised an eyebrow and gently touched his shoulder.

"You miss having a mother, and I know that Draco can be quite tiring, but many children your age lost both their parent in the war, or even worse, perhaps I could get you a visit with Professor Longbottom next term, and you can hear his story." Narcissa gave him a kind but stern gaze and he lowered his eyes to the floor.

"Now head back to the others please." She said softly, "I'm wondering if Draco will take you to visit your father tonight."


	7. Chapter 7

**25th December 2012**

Draco hated being in Hospitals, the only way he could describe them would be as one giant, clean, germ. Especially on Christmas morning, he and the boys should be at home opening gifts right now.

St. Mungo's was a bit better, at least there were some interesting maladies to look at.

Like a boy turning into a girl.

He told the children to wait with Uncle George in the waiting room, Draco hadn't seen Harry since he was taken into the emergency ward, writhing on a stretcher.

He was in bed and looked almost the same. His hair, eyes and scar were all there. His features were slightly more feminine and he was definitely shorter and much thinner. He seemed ethereal.

"It's irreversible," Was the first thing he said, "I have all the lady bit's too."

Draco cringed. "That might be a problem," He grabbed Harry's hand. "How are we going to do this?" Draco asked.

"I'm more worried about the kids right now," Harry said, his voice was softer but still had the same quality to it.

"Well," Draco looked him over. "You're still sort of masculine," Draco said, "We could pretend-"

Harry was shaking his head, "No, If we're going to do this it's probably better for the kids if we do it all the way," Draco tried not to giggle at the pun.

"They call me Mum, that sounds weird even to me, I'll legally change my name to some feminine version of Harry, and we go on as normal? I think the best way to do this is like a bandaid, I'll give the press as much as they want then we go back into hiding."

Draco grabbed his hand, "You're the most amazing person I know. OK I'll go get the kids so they can meet their new mum." Draco smiled and left the room.

He stopped smiling as soon as he left the door. He was a gay man, who was now married to the woman of his dreams?

"Mr. Malfoy?" The nurse looked surprised to see him at the inquiry desk.

"I need to see a healer, for a consultation, quickly."

He discreetly slipped twenty galleons onto the desk and she immediately called over a healer, with a charming smile to boot. It was a woman in the green robes of St. Mungo's. She lead Draco to a room and he didn't even wait for an introduction.

"I'm homosexual, married to a woman."

The lady looked completely confused, so Draco explained Harry's situation. The healer looked at him for a long time.

"Here," She grabbed a book off the shelf and copied a potion recipe down on some parchment.

"It's outlawed since they stopped punishing homosexual by impaling them through the anus on a pyramid-shaped object, But I have a few desperate people come to me about it and I always say the same thing, 'you didn't hear it from me'."

Draco nodded seriously, exiting the door quickly. "Pfft, Huffelpuff," he scoffed at the too-trusting healer. He met up with their large family in the waiting room and lead them back to Harry's room. Sirius was the first through the door and before anyone knew it he was curled up at Harry's side.

"OK guys," Harry said in her feminine voice, all the kids looked very off-put, none more so than James.

"This thing," Harry gestured to his newly acquired breasts (ew) and vagina (double ew) "Is just something that's happened, there's nothing we can do, and we're going to get through this 100% positive, so," Harry paused.

"I'm still Harry, but now I'm your mum, I'll be Mrs Malfoy/Potter, and all of you are still my sons, got-it?"

The boys all nodded, she made them all give her a hug and they still looked really unsure.

"Well Mrs Malfoy?" The healer said the name uncertainly, "You're free to go, please keep me posted on how everything's adjusting. Draco followed Harry behind the privacy curtain to get a better look at his body – her body – She was disturbingly thin, presumably from the change and about 3 inches shorter than Draco.

"I can't believe there's something else we need to worry about," Harry said, "finding out who tried to kill you." Draco caught Harry when she tried to walk on her damaged leg, and he passed her the cane. "I'm so glad you weren't poisoned Draco," Harry touched his cheek and limped out to see their kids.

**26th December 2012**

_HARRY POTTER ATTACKED!_

_Rita Skeeter_

_This old reporter fondly remembers modern Wizarding Britain's very own Merlin. He's our saviour, the valiant, brave and quite handsome Mr. Harry Potter._

_Well after being orphaned and spending his life defending witches and wizards from you-know-who, once again, life hands this brave man, and father of five, some lemons._

_For readers uncommon with the Eurofisi Potion, it's a terrible, dark magic that's designed to kill the victim slowly by disfiguring the body._

_This potion somehow found its way into Mr. Potter's morning glass of pumpkin juice and yet again, he has defeated death._

_At quite a shocking personal cost, it seems, somehow, through a mixture of this potion, Mr. Malfoy's very famous fertility potion and Harry's Werewolf genes, Mr. Potter is now a woman!_

Hermione Weasley flipped to page nine to continue reading.

_The expert from St. Mungo's Hospital for magical maladies and injuries told this reporter that he believed it was the disfiguring quality of the poison, the survival instinct of the werewolf and a little bit of, in my words, 'feminine charm' from the fertility potion._

_Now officially going by the name Harriet Malfoy, Ms Malfoy and her family are just trying to get used to the changes._

_I assure all my readers, after spending an afternoon at the Potter's household Harry is still our old war hero, just wrapped up differently._

Hermione again flipped for the official Auror statement of page 13. Ron was playing with Hugo and Rose, she assumed.

**28th December**

Harry was looking in the mirror at her self naked. She supposed she was ok looking, she was worried Draco would no longer find her attractive but she had been reassured it was quite the opposite. She was a small woman, really not much difference except she didn't have a dick anymore, and had boobs, not much boob but still boob.

Harriet frowned in the mirror.

There was no mistaking her face. To herself she looked the same and she never had noticed how… delicate her features were.

She was surprised she was adjusting so well, there was a brief time in the hospital where she had run around screaming and carrying on but other than that, she wasn't as hot headed as usual.

It was either shock or woman-parts.

Hermione was never irrational and hot-headed. _Oh god, Hermione._

* * *

><p>Draco bolted up to their bedroom and burst through the door.<p>

"Harry are you alright!" He looked around frantically, and then spotted her naked on the bed.

"Harry?" Draco frowned and approached his recently vagina-ed husband.

"Harry, hey what's wrong?"

Harry was crying her eyes out, Draco was almost frightened, the only time Harry had cried was when Lucius was torturing Sirius.

"I miss Ron and Hermione!" Was Harry's tearful reply, and Draco took a double take.

"They were awful to you!" Draco shouted, causing Harry to nod and laugh hysterically. Draco sat down with her on the bed."Hey, we'll get through this Harry, your article was really well received I've been opening letters all day about how people think you're so brave." Draco pulled her into his arms. "It'll be ok, the kids are coping really well with it, and I think it'll be really good for them, you know, having a mum."

Draco was rewarded with an uncertain smile.

"I think the fertility potion has some hormonal elements to it, because I'm way to comfortable with this." Harry wiped her eyes and Draco hugged her.

"It did, otherwise the body would go into shock and-" Harry shut him up by kissing him. He was a bit taken a back by how soft her lips were, and found himself quite enjoying it.

The adults looked up as a Weasley-red-headed Teddy burst through the door.

"Uncle George is here!" Teddy screamed as he stumbled across the floor. "He wants to see you guys." Teddy left the room, bolting back downstairs. Draco kissed the top of Harry's head and headed downstairs.

Harry quickly got dressed and went down as well.

"Well, well, well!" George looked at Harry with a huge smile on his face, "If it isn't little Miss Potter!"

"I need a favour, _Harriet_." George said in what was a serious voice except the stress on her name.

"Anything, what's wrong?"

"Could I stay here for a while, I think Angelina will leave me," George looked like he was doing a very poor job of pretending to be happy.

"Of course George, you can take the guest room, here, I'll show you."

Harry limped off; Draco noticing her cane was now far too big for her, it was a while before Harry returned to him, she looked quite downtrodden.

"Angelina has gone work crazy; Gorge is worried about his kids," Harry sighed. "Angelina was always lovely but they got married right after the war ended, there was never much time for her to establish a career but this quiddich gig she has going now is really taking off, Fred's a year younger than the boys and he's left with Roxanne alone when George doesn't know."

"I'll talk to my family lawyer and see that George gets custody, but with the Zabini's, our lot, and George and his kids, we won't fit in this house."

Harry frowned at Draco's bright smile. "We move to the Manor!"

Harry looked quite shocked, "Draco I couldn't impose on your mother like that and-"

Draco jumped across the room and held a finger to Harry's lips. "Look, the only reason I never suggested it before now is that I wasn't eligible to be the head of house because I married a man, and now I can be, Mother can live here of stay in the manor, Llaria can stay there two we can give each family an entire wing, it's huge!"

Harry saw white as Draco prattled on.

"So I was the reason you could never live there?" Harry asked, heated. Draco nodded absently and continued to talk about the Spanish imported gates and the walkway made of real giants' bone.

Harry was just too angry to say anything to him and stormed off. Draco abruptly stopped his excited ranting and watched her go. He sneered after her.

"I liked it more when she yelled at me if I said something wrong."


	8. Chapter 8

_Reviews please guys?_

**30th December 2012**

Draco gave Harriet two days to get over her little hissy fit, he used the extra time to perfect the Sexuality potion and downed it without a second thought, then went to find Harry.

Draco smiled at her in the drawing room. She was sitting on the light green love seat with her injured leg on a pouf, the too big cane leaning against the arm of the lounge. She was reading Quidditch through the Ages again.

"Harry?" Draco slinked into the room and looked at her. She looked so much older as a woman than as a man.

"Hey Hun," Harry snuggled into Draco's side when he sat down. "I was upset because it seemed like you didn't care about me changing, just looking at how much better off you were."

Draco rubbed her back, "I understand, I'm sorry I was just trying to keep things positive. I didn't want to add all these other problems."

"Like you not being attracted to me, the kids treating me like a stranger, I feel awful."

"The kids will come around, maybe taking them flying will help hmm?" Draco hugged her tightly, "I would never leave you, love you too much."

"I like the idea of flying," Harry said, "Maybe George will come too."

Draco watched Harry leave and he looked out the window. His eagle-owl was flying towards the house, and Draco could see a woman and child heading towards their door. He opened the window to let the owl in and headed downstairs to get the door.

The woman knocked just as Harry, George the kids and Draco all piled into the hallway.

Draco opened the door to a scream of "Daddy!" and a small red-headded child flinging himself at George.

Angelina stepped through the doorway with a sour look and a baby in her arms.

George, giving his son a hug, put the boy down to take the child off Angelina.

"I know I'm a bad mother," She said with a nasty sneer, "It's just that family was never important to me, George." George nodded, ruffling his son's hair. "I'm filing for divorce," Angelina told him, "And I'll try to take them for three days a fortnight, I'll owl you the papers."

Angelina left without even saying goodbye to her children. "She was always a cold bitch in school too," Draco said matter-of-factly. George gave him a look but they waited while Roxanne was handed to Draco and George went to get Fred's broom.

Harry, James, Teddy, Sirius, Scorpius, Fred 2 and George left Grimmauld place, Harry sticking out her wand arm to signal the night bus. The kids faces lit up at the sight of the three story purple bus, Harry didn't know how they stomached the ride.

**HP**

"Do it," Harry pressed. She and Sirius were sitting on her Firebolt, Sirius quite red from embarrassment.

Harry hovered in the air so Sirius could use his hands to make the sign for mother. Harry smiled at him when he did.

"Was that really that horrible?" Harry asked him, Sirius shook his head and Harry took off again. Teddy and James had adjusted quite well, they both called her mum without a second glance but Sirius often avoided addressing her at all. She ruffled his hair and forced the broom forward at –not quite – top speed.

Sirius smiled a huge smile and held onto the broom handle tighter.

**HP**

"Mr. Malfoy?" Draco heard the man before he saw him, he had let himself into their kitchen but Draco didn't relax until he saw the red robes.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm so sorry for the intrusion but I knew you and Harry have small kids and..."

Neville Longbottom stopped talking and just stared.

"Wath?" Draco asked sourly, perfectly aware that he was holding a dummy between his teeth, had white baby vomit down the front of his stylish jacket, pumpkin soup stains on his jeans and some piece of rubbish was stuck to his foot. he was also only wearing a single sock.

Draco was ticked that Longbottom should see him so undignified, and it only got worse when the floo flared up and Narcissa flounced through loudly announcing her arrival. "Gramdma's here!"

Draco shot her a glare as two seperate baby cries wafted down the stairs.

"Could you get Lucas for me mum?" Narcissa nodded and headed upstairs, Draco turned to Longbottom. "Just a minuet, make yourself comfy." He lept up the stairs two at a time, grumpily muttering about his daft use of the word 'comfy' to the Aurour obviously sent to investigate the whole, gender bender case. He scooped up Roxanne and quieted her, meeting his mother on the stairs and directed her into the lounge.

"This is Roxanne, Fred's - George's - daughter." his mother took the little girl and nursed her back to sleep, Draco inwardly scolded himself on the mix up of names, if you were watching George, whenever something brilliant happened he still always turned to tell his twin. Neville was still standing in their kitchen.

"I thought you taught Herbology?" Draco asked, Neville nodded.

"Harry wanted the investigation kept completley private, I have Auror training, I prefer teaching but I owe him a favour. Just so you two can select what's to go in the press." Draco inwardly rolled his eyes, but outwardly showed his nervousness. Harry had already tried connecting this attack with the next war. "I've done a full analysis of the cup and potion, and we've traced this particular potion back to a few sources. It was outlawed some time ago shortly after its creation and you know, potions can't be undone so all existing vials were documented and registered, there were at least 20, and so far we've tracked down the Canadian Wizard that had 12 of them, thing is most of them are gone."

Longbottom looked apologetic. "It's not much and the investigation will take a while but it's all we have right now."

"You're thinking this person was looking for this potion in particular and might try to kill me again?" Draco asked him, Longbottom nodded.

"No dark wizard will get past all the crap Harry's got up to stop the press and public," Neville reassured him, "just be aware, Mr. Malfoy. Do you mind if I wait for Harry is he-she far away?" Neville instantly turned red at his slip up.

"She shouldn't be too far," Draco said, "just ask our house elf for anything you need, would you mind if I see to my mother I need to have a word with her?"

"No, not at all." Neville awkwardly gestured around before sitting heavily in one of the kitchen chairs, from the shocked look on his face it was probably the one Harry had vanished the middle of, it was like sitting on a toilet with the seat up - no real danger but you still fall in.

On his way up the stairs Draco asked Kreacher to attend to Mr. Longbottom and was apologizing to his mother in no time.

"Stop it Draco, I hardly think I even count as a guest I'm here so often."

Draco smiled a little. "I asked you over for a reason, now that Harry's a girl I can take my place as head of the Malfoy name, but, if you don't want that I'd never dictate that it has to happen. The other thing is the manor is so big we can give George and his kids, the Zabini's, us, you and Llaria a wing each." Draco watched his mother look happier and happier as he suggested his idea and barely kept his laughter quiet as she hugged him very tightly.

"Oh Draco this it wonderful!" Narcissa said and pinched his cheek, she then stood, went straight to the fire place and flooed home, announcing she had cleaning and organising to do.

Draco frowned and stared at the still green fire after she left, then her head poked back through;

"Draco!" She said, "How many children does Mr. Weasley have?"

"A boy and girl, we haven't run it by all of them yet, don't get too excited," Draco warned but his mother had already left.

**HP**

Harry and George were standing together on the ground watching the kids fly around. Harry could see Fred sneaking higher and higher, glancing at his father to make sure George still wasn't paying attention.

"Since Ron stopped working in the shop it's become unmanageable. Too big, the only time I can get any help is from kids during the summer."

"Maybe I could give you a hand?" Harriet offered, "I don't usually work every day of the week and Draco's going to take over head of the Malfoy family so he should be able to babysit.

"Really?" George asked, he looked so happy, "it's not that I can't run the shop, just I need some time to develop more things." Harry nodded to George absently. The man was bouncing on the spot like he did at Hogwarts.

"It's not as fun alone," George said to Harriet then.

Fred eventually was caught far to high by his father, and was grounded for that night, he was to stay in the room the Weasley's were staying in. When Harry flooed home to see Neville waiting she looked so happy to see her old dorm mate, and Neville was just as pleased.

Draco organised for all the people currently living at home with them to be there for dinner that night.

"Were kind of lucky, in a way that Harry's gone through his little change the same time George came to stay," Draco began, Narcissa could hardly contain her excitement. "You would all be aware we're quite pressed for space, and instead of evicting people, Harry and I would like to invite you to come and stay in the manor with us, since she was changed I'm now eligible to take the place as Head of my family." Draco was smiling, Harriet had never even realized how much he had wanted to be head of the Malfoy family. The crowd generally looked pleased, except for James.

"We would never ask for rent, only that you pay for any of your own groceries, just like here, there's enough room for everyone to have a wing each, and Blaise I want to extend the invitation to your mother also."

Draco finished with a bright smile on his face and Luna, Blaise and even George all jumped up to thank him.

**2nd May 1998**

_"For great bravery, honor and courage in the face of an enemy all others feared, for his sacrifice to the greater good, and for being a sign of hope to all of wizarding Britain, the Ministry of Magic thanks and recognizes Mr. Harry James Potter."_

_To Harry the applause was deafining and embarrassing. He didn't do this alone, he didn't deserve the Order of Merlin (First Class) but he accepted it and smiled and shook Kingsleys hand._

_It was a ceremony recognizing heroes, paying tribute to wizards who died and wishing well for the survivors. Harry was awarded the highest honor. The same honor given to Dumbeldore when he defeated Grindelwald and the same again first awarded to Godric Gryffindor when he defeated the Evil wizards of their time. Harry had one thing on his mind though._

_"Well done baby!" Ginny hugged him and kissed him and grabbed his hand, dragging himtowards all the people._

_"No Gin, I have to find Andy."_

_"Baby this is your day, she can wait," Ginny yanked his arm away._

_"Ginny, she said she needed to see me, I think it's about Teddy."_

_Ginny gave him the look, the look that meant he would be in serious trouble later._

_"Harry, I'm so sorry I know your busy, people chasing you and everything, congratulations by the way."_

_Andromeda smiled at him warmly._

_"How's Teddy?" Harry asked, trying his best to hide his worry._

_"He's fine, he's a handful, Harry I want you to know how much it means to me that you let me take him, you're his godfather and you should, it's what Dora and Remus wanted."_

_Andy pulled a tissue from her sleeve and dabbed at her eyes._

_"He's my only family, but I can't look after him, I sent him to a muggle play school, for a day, I forgot to pick him up, I can't, oh my goodness."_

_Andromeda stopped talking and just cried and cried, Harry jumped forwards and hugged her tightly._

_"It's ok Andy it's ok," Harry stood with her for only a moment before the old woman pulled away._

_"I'm too old, and too sad to look after him properly,"_

_"Andy," Harry stopped her talking. "If you need help, you and Teddy could come and stay at Grimmauld place with me, the house is big enough and you wouldn't have to leave him, but you wouldn't be his sole provider."_

_To his immense surprise, Andy wailed, she cried so loud it attracted attention._

_"Harry Potter you are a saint," she cried. Again Harry gently patted her hair._

_"If you will, take him, please, I love him but I'm not a fit parent anymore I forget too easily, remembering Ted and Dora and I just get sad, or he changes something and I just, because Dora was so like him, he doesn't even realize. She was never a mother I can't think of this little boy as her son she didn't, she saw him once, before she died, once after he was born, then she was off to war and he was at my house I was waiting for them."_

_"It's alright Andy, I'd love to take him, but only if it's what you want, and only if you come to visit."_

_"It's what's best for him, he will have a proper father this way, I'll bring him over tonight."_

* * *

><p>Authors Note: if I have any completely nutty spellinggrammar/English mistakes, it's the auto correct on my iPad I don't know what's wrong with it but it's not set to English because it's coming out with some inspirational stuff, please let me know so I can fix it all up.

Other than that enjoy, and please go to and look me up (Fair Charlotte) for my original work. Gory stories, poetry and they're all nice and short good to kill time between updates.

Thanks for the readers and reviewers you guys make me happy!


	9. Chapter 9

**30th May 2013**

They moved to the manor in the summer. Narcissa had cleaned and furnished each room to suit the family but they were left to paint and decorate them themselves. It didn't take long.

Draco and Harry went to pick up the boys from kings cross when the term ended, Harry wearing an adorable sundress which she was unhappy about. Draco was so happy to have gotten her into a dress, he had to hide all of her other clothes for it to happen.

His hand on her waist and they stood among all the other parents waiting for their children. The train pulled in and they both got flashbacks from when they were eleven, every parent did, the smoke and yelling and animals screeching as every one got off the train.

Teddy made it to them first, smiling happily with his usual black hair and silver eyes. Draco frowned and ran his hand through Teddy's hair.

"Green tips?" he asked, Teddy smiled.

"For the Slytherins," Teddy said and Harry pulled the 15 year old in for a hug.

"Hey Siri," Harry said over Teddy's shoulder, kissing the 13 year old on the cheek while Draco looked for James.

James was still on the train, looking at the man and woman with his two brothers, everything went wrong, Draco should have been the lady, not his dad.

Everyone was so happy about it, how Harry was a mum now and no one teased them about having fag parents and they could live in the Manor, but James hated it, if anything he made Draco and Harry closer. How could Sirius, especially, just forget about Ginny Weasley?

James pulled his trunk down from the shelf and dragged it along behind him out the train door and over to Harry and his step-dad.

"Hey Jay how was the term?" Draco asked, Harry was talking to Sirius in sign and Teddy was talking to Mina, Sirius' girlfriend while she waited for her parents.

"Fine," James replied, he hated the nickname Jay. Stupid Draco.

"Ms Potter, Mr. Malfoy?"

The Herbology teacher waddled over to them, Harry signed one last thing to Sirius then turned and greeted the man.

"Hello Neville," Harry smiled and shook his hand, Neville said hello to Draco then said.

"The investigations coming along, sorry to have taken so long but it took a while to track down all the people holding potions, Draco, since you're the target could you identify any enemies on the list for me?"

Draco took the list and scanned it, "Borgin from Knockturn alley?" he asked straight away, when Neville nodded he continued.

"In the second war when the Manor was taken by the order, my father got his sentence reduced by pinning all the dark artifacts on Borgin. Said he didn't know what they were, he was holding them. Borgin lost his wand for it, spent five years in Azkaban."

"Well they're going there first, Katie and her partner," Neville said, "Anyone else?" Draco named a few but James didn't notice, he wasn't even sure if he was in Knockturn alley but all it would take is Narcissa to come forward. James didn't know what to do.

"Do they need a hand?" Harry asked. Neville shook his head.

"How's your case been coming?" he asked, Harry smiled.

"The usual. Not much to report really. I closed the fake Hallows case yesterday and am just doing my report for the levitating muggle pumpkins. It's half done."

"That's great Harry, did you want to come into the office tomorrow, I have another one for you?"

"Sure, look we better get these kids home." Harry paused to wave goodbye to Mina who had spotted her mother, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Neville waved them goodbye and continued watching the students find their parents.

* * *

><p>Later that night James found himself standing in front of Narcissa's door. He knocked lightly and it opened straight away.<p>

"Come in Jay." She said, he walked in and sat on the little lounge. Narcissa sat next to him.

"I went to the Aurour office today, and told them what you did. I also said how you didn't know what you were doing and was just having problems adjusting and coping with the circumstances. They've agreed that they won't tell Harry or Draco, but it will go on your record at the Aurours office and I'm required to make sure you are adequately punished."

James said nothing so she continued.

"Draco loves you, Jay and I know you hate that nickname because you think Draco made it up but your mother was calling you that before we came along."

"My mother is Ginny Weasley." James said stubbornly. Narcissa shook her head.

"If you won't accept us as family there's nothing I can do," Narcissa stood, "You should take a good hard look at your life and really decide what you want. If you want to spend the rest of your life hating your family because of all the bad things that have happened to Harriet, or if you want to look at all the people who care about you and start turning things around."

James glared at her and left, slamming the door behind him.

He stomped down the hall and up the stairs, heading for his bedroom. Sirius was coming out of his room and he grabbed James' arm.

"Are you alright?" Sirius signed to him, James barged past him, hardly looking at his hands.

Sirius grabbed him again and pulled him hard. He just gave him a look between worry and a glare.

"I'm fine," James said, "just fucking hate it here." Sirius looked taken aback by the curse word but chose to ignore it.

"Why?" he signed quickly. James rolled his eyes.

"We have the worst family, a step dad, transgender mum, two half brothers and an adopted brother, and we're living with three other families, what is this?" James hissed at Sirius.

"I'm the only normal one here. And you, can't even speak? What is this?" James pushed Sirius away, Sirius quickly wiped back th tears from his eyes, turned around, grabbed James, who spun, and then punched him.

Olivia was tossing and turning in her sleep.

James cried out and touched his cheek and eye, then hit Sirius back.

Lee shook the shoulders of his daughter panicing. She's was crying out now, still sleeping her back arched off the bed.

"HARRY!" Blaise poked his head into Lydas room, she was walking with her eyes shut tight, feeling for something then the little girl fell to the ground.

"AUNT HARRY!" she cried out again, tears poured down her cheeks, and she crawled back to her feet only to fall again.

Sirius pulled his wand, casting a disarming charm at James who dodged it and pulled his own wand, he cast some basic defense and attack spells, Sirius blocked and met his every move. Finally, James gave up, threw his wand aside and tackled Sirius to the ground.

Olivia woke, sitting up ram-rod straight.

"Oh my god," she whispered, looking around wildly until she spotted her father.

Blaise had Lyda in his arms, running through the house with her still writhing and crying and calling for Harry.

The boys didn't notice when Harry limped around the corner, disregarding her cane and diving between them, James flung a final strike and hit her in the jaw, Sirius stopped as soon as Harry forced herself between them.

"Are you alright?" Lee sat next to Liv, brushing her hair back and pulling her into a hug, she nodded and wiped her face on the sheets.

"A vision?" Lee asked, Liv just nodded.

"I'm alright, I don't remember it though." she frowned, "Maybe just a lot of blood, and, I died..." her voice trailed off.

"It was just a dream Liv," Lee said. "You remember your visions this was a dream sweet heart." He pulled her close to his side, "Just a dream."

"Harry," Blaise found her, standing between Sirius and James, both boys were breathing hard, bruised and bloodied, glaring.

Harry wasn't talking. Just looking at her sons.

"Go to your room," Harry ordered. The same tone Blaise heard when he was on the frontlines, "go to your rooms and start making a good excuse."

Sirius looked like he would be in tears, James looked grumpy and stormed off, slamming the door.

Sirius didn't move just stared at Harry like he wanted nothing more than for her to just smile a little bit, she didn't.

"Harry," Blaise said as calm as he could, Sirius jumped and ran to his room then. Harry turned and took a breath before taking Lyda from him. She smiled and pushed the girls hair from her face and conjured a rag and wet it and put it on her forehead. Harry motioned for Blaise to follow and went into her and Draco's room and sat down.

"What happened Lyda?" Harry asked, stroking her hair and offering her a glass of water.

"I had another vision," she spent a few moments sobbing, "everyone died Aunt Harry, Lorcana, Mum, Dad, even you and Uncle Draco."

Harry quieted her.

"You heard what Liv said," Harriet told her, "it's not going to happen Lyda, I won't let it I promise."

Lyda fell asleep shortly after that and Blaise took her back to her room.

Harry took a deep breath and stretched her arms up, she needed to talk to the boys. She didn't want to.

She walked out of her and Dracos room and into the tiled hallway. The manor was beautiful, they stayed in Dracos wing, third floor east side, the zabinis were bottom floor south wing and George and his kids were second floor north wing, Narcissa stayed in the master wing, third floor west side.

The whole manor was stone and tiles, not just building stone, precious gems were used to accent the walls and floor, lapis lazuli, gold, obsidian. The tiles were all heated and different shades of grey. The wings were set up as houses, there were small tearooms and dining rooms littering every floor. The master study, dining room and lounge were all at the front of the house, on the first floor above the foyer, the house was on a large hill so there was a foyer a coat room and formal lounge a half floor below the ground floor, the roof here was two stories high. The stairs were not sweeping as one would expect, but square and zig-zag and bulky but Narcissa had somehow made them look delicate with paints and flowers.

Harry was dragging her feet, she cracked the door open and silently looked inside, he was laying on his bed in the dark. He looked up when she entered, his face tear streaked and Harry felt her heart stop, apart from the large angry bruises and cuts, when he cried his throat hurt him as much as when he had lost it from screaming.

"Tell me what happened baby," Harry stayed silent and signed her words, she lit a candle and brought it to his bedside table.

"I asked him what's wrong, that's all, and he snapped at me so I made him talk to me and he said how weird our family is and how much he hates it, and he told me..." Sirius lowered his hands.

"I wish I could speak." he signed. Harry smiled sadly at her son.

"I'm sorry," Harry said, "I couldn't protect you better."

Sirius shook his head and Harry stopped him.

"It's on me, and I wish I could make it right sweet heart," Sirius hugged his 'mother'. "What did James say?" Harry askead out loud.

"He just made fun of me, because I can't speak, used it as an example for why he hates living here. Then I hit him."

Harry saw white.

She very calmly kissed Sirius head, "go and find dad, tell him what happened please."

Harriet grabbed her cane and lifted herself off of the bed heading for James' room.


	10. Chapter 10

Harry was across the hall and into James' room in no time, the manor was well lit, but by candles only, it was too large to have windows in every room. The door was closed but he had lit the candles. Harry called out to him, her voice gentle even though she was furious.

"Jay, where are you?"

Harriet limped over to the bathroom door as fast as she could and bashed her fists against it, then opening it and poking her head in. It was dark but she could see he wasn't in there.

"James Potter!" Harry screamed, Sirius and Draco were standing at the door, Sirius leaning into Draco's side, still in tears.

"Point me James Potter" Harry ordered his wand, it pointed towards the window.

"Fuck," Harriet cursed, "I'll be back." Harry pushed past Draco and Sirius heading down the stairs, summoning her firebolt as she went.

Draco rubbed Sirius on the back, he was still crying.

"This is not your fault," Draco told him, Sirius looked at him, his hands were shaking but he still managed to sign.

"James really ran away?"

"Mum will bring him back," Draco told him.

"Master Malfoy," Kreature gave them both a fright when he came into the room with a loud bang. "Mr. Neville Longbottom is in the foyer."

Draco thanked Kreacher and sent Sirius to Narcissa. Then he quickly went and slipped his shoes on and went to meet the Aurour.

"Longbottom," Draco greeted with a half-smile, "you've caught us at a bad time Harry's just went looking for James, he took off." Neville looked very uncomfortable.

"We think James tried to poison you Mr. Malfoy," Neville said, "Borgin told him it would turn you into a lady so you would be a 'proper step-mother' I'm sorry, we need his statement."

Draco frowned at his feet, quite cut by this news.

"Borgin?" he asked coldly.

"Azkaban," Neville replied, "conspiracy to murder."

"Does Harry have to know?" Draco asked. Neville shook his head, "that's why I'm here, someone was helping James, they tried to keep this completely away from the two of you. I feel obligated to tell Harry, she doesn't like it when things are kept from her." Draco agreed but didn't like to think what would happen once she knew.

"The person helping James, who was it?" Draco asked then.

"I don't know, I can find out for you if you like."

"It was me," they both turned to look at Narcissa, Draco glared at her. "Sirius is asleep," she told him, "I knew how much it would hurt you Draco, I'm sorry." Draco turned to Neville and thanked him, then left without acknowledging Narcissa.

* * *

><p>Harry followed her wand for miles. She went south-west from the manor, flying over Taunton about an hour after she left, almost at the second hour she felt her wand point her down, towards Devon.<p>

She recognized the house and gate straight away, just outside of the town Ottery St. Chatchpole; it was crooked and forced all sorts of painful memories to well up.

Harriet waited outside of the burrow for a half hour before walking through the gate and up to the door.

She knocked, Arthur answered with a grimace on his face.

"Is James here?" Harry asked, unable to look the man in the eye, she was leaning on her cane heavily, the cold making her leg hurt more than it ever had.

"Yes," Arthur said, "he came on the night bus."

"Would you bring him?" Harriet asked him, the angry look on Arthur's face so unusual to her. "I'll take him home."

"No," Arthur said, "He's been beaten, Potter."

Harry stared at him, "he and his brother got into a fight," Harry replied, "and it's Malfoy."

Arthur shook is head. "Well _Mrs Malfoy_ I can't let my grandson go home with you in the state he's in; not until you prove you haven't hit him."

Arthur tried to slam the door in her face but she stuck her cane out, preventing it from closing.

"Take care of him, you'll be hearing from the Auror's office tomorrow."

Harry then apparated home.

Draco was waiting for her. He opened the door and took her hand.

"He's with Arthur Weasley at the burrow." Harry said, "he should be safe, I need to contact Katie."

Harriet spent all night fire calling various Aurors. She briefly explained that Arthur might try to make James say he was abused but when ever she started talking 'worst case senario' he would gently remind her the only way they would have grounds to take James is if the whole of the justice system killed itself.

"Calm down love," Draco took her hand and pulled her into a hug, "It'll be fine."

Harry saw Sirius standing at the door to the kitchen, she glanced at the clock and frowned at him.

Pulling away from Draco she walked over to him and signing as she spoke, she said;

"It's three in the morning sweetheart, why are you still up?"

"is James ok?" Sirius asked back, Harriet nodded.

"He's with the Weasley's," Harry told him, "Uncle George's father."

Sirius nodded and gave Harry a kiss before heading back to bed.

Draco stared at his wife as she sent their son to bed and remembered the promise he made to Neville.

"Tell her about what James did."

_Not tonight_, Draco thought.

* * *

><p>Draco woke the next morning characteristically late, since he no longer worked for the ministry (he occasionally did consultations) but was head of the family, (the Malfoy's conducted a large number of exports and imports into wizarding Britain, as well as owning cleansweep and Numbus (the Weasley's were in that industry too, around a century ago, until one head sold their storage land for two bottles of rum - they're poor now). He conducted business from home, it was simple, and he loved it, totally open hours.<p>

He headed towards the kitchen only to find the door shut, Harriet and George kneeling near the gap holding an extendable ear.

"Ron's P.I. is in there with Sirius," George whispered, "we can't hear what Sirius is saying, obviously so technically this isn't illegal."

Draco rolled his eyes and pulled Harry up off the ground.

"Love where's your cane?" Draco asked supporting her as she hissed when she put her weight on her bum leg.

"It's in our room, I was so worried I forgot it and she's not letting up, she's making it sound like they were fighting because we neglected James."

"They won't take him, he'll be home tonight love." Draco said, still thinking about how to tell her James was responsible for the lady-parts.

Draco hugged Harry and kissed her forehead.

"I'm going to floo Katie, see if she could spare me some time, thanks George."

George nodded to her as he wound up the fleshy string of the ear.

* * *

><p>Sirius frowned at the woman, she introduced herself as investigator Greengrass and insisted on seeing him alone. She kept trying to make him reword what he wrote to her. He was being careful as he could and making sure nothing could be taken out of context.<p>

"So Sirius," she said again, she started every question with 'so Sirius'. "You're pretty banged up, and you said it was your brother?"

_Yeah_ Sirius wrote simply.

_I got into a fight with James, Mum wasn't involved, she just broke it up, can I please bring her in so she can translate for me?_

The investigator read the note quickly and then shook her head. "No," she answered his question, "Can't have Potter in here, it might motivate you to lie."

Sirius frowned.

_I'm not lying._

* * *

><p>Katie came over immediately. "So a private investigator is with him, Harry they don't hold the same privileges as Aurours. She had no right to withhold her name or demand a private audience with Sirius." Katie looked scary when the law was being broken and she marched her way right to the kitchen.<p>

"Open this door, this is Aurour Bell." The door swung open immediately.

Draco recoiled, Astoria Greengrass stood looking as sultry as ever in the door frame. She smiled.

"Bell, never mind, we're done here."

Katie smiled in a way Harry could only describe as a bitchy smile. "Your notes, Greengrass, this investigation was not approved by the Auror office and any evidence you have is to be documented by the Ministry."

Astoria looked unphased.

"I took no notes, just a few questions."

Immediately Sirius was signing to Harry that she took everything he had written down. Katie nodded at him, "those papers are the intellectual property of Sirius Potter and you have no right to them." Astoria shot a glare at Sirius and handed over a pile of papers. "Astoria, you're on very thin ice, so I'm officially warning you to stay out of ministry and official Aurour business or you will look at losing your wand." Astoria gave her a sour look and headed for the door. She came unnessicarily close as she passed Draco, so close he could smell her, she whispered; "Nice seeing you, Draco."

After the huge manor doors had slammed behind her Harry turned to Draco.

"Care to explain?" Sirius was at her side, just reaching her shoulder.

"During the war she was promised to me as a wife, excited about it too," he sighed, "when my father found out I was gay he told me about duty to the name and all this other rubbish. She was promised to be one of the richest and prominent wives in the whole of Britain. Guess she's a bit miffed."

Katie looked at the notes. Then at Draco and Harry, "I'll look into her too see if there's any foul play, and Sirius, do you think I could have that memory, I'll make a full document of the interview and have it on file, just in case she made copies or tampered with them."

Sirius immediately brought his wand to his temple and drew out the memory, Draco conjuring and supplying a small vial and giving the stoppered vial to Katie.

"I'll sort out everything with James Harry, we'll bring him in to the ministry straight away and you should have him back by tonight."

Harry elbowed Draco when he shot her his 'I told you so' look.

They were both right, James was home just after dinner, Harriet hugged him and he pushed her away. She looked more hurt than Draco had ever seen, James even ignored his twin.

"Jay," Harry called as he headed up the grand staircase, Teddy, Sirius and Harry had all waited for him to come home, Draco was watching from the coat room.

Scorpius was with his Aunt Luna, the seven year old was obsessed with her, loved her to bits, Lucas was sleeping.

Draco himself was now 33. He shook his head, his mind wandered so badly when he was upset.

"I'll talk to him boys, off you go." Harry squeezed Sirius shoulder before adjusting her cane and making off after James.

Harry caught up to him at the top of the grand staircase and pulled him into a sitting room, calling out to Kreacher for tea.

"Sit down honey," Harry sat next to him on the couch and wrapped an arm around him.

"Good lord your almost taller then me," Harry looked at her son. She missed being a father, being a boy but it didn't matter now.

"You're unhappy," Harry said, "and I know you're tired of always getting letters from Draco rousing on you but it's better than getting howlers from me, and that will start happening, James we're worried about you."

"It's always we, isn't it? You're my dad, not him, he doesn't have any right to boss me around." James pulled away from Harry. She noticed he noticed she didn't jump to comfort him, and that was for a very good reason. "The Weasley's are my real family." James finished in a huff.

"I'm going to tell you a story, James and you're going to listen very carefully." Harry looked him in the eye to make sure he was listening, and she started with how her parents were killed and finished with what she felt right now. She left out nothing, she mentioned how her muggle relatives abused her, and all the crap she dealt with at Hogwarts. But she hesitated when she got to the war.

"It wasn't easy, and I was caught by Bellatrix in Gringotts. They kept me for a few weeks before I escaped, and Draco helped me do that, I owe my life to him from more than one reason."

She noticed James was uninterested but continued anyway.

"Your biological mother, she made me very unhappy." Harry sighed, "I was actually in the process of filing for divorce when she told me she was pregnant, and I was heartbroken when she died, I did love her, very much but she wasn't right for me, we couldn't be content together."

Harry continued to tell him about her life, when Luna came to live with her then Blaise and of course how she met Draco and how much he helped her with the case and everything.

"You loved Draco when you were little Jay, I don't understand what changed?" Harry asked him, James didn't answer. Just sighed and looked away, as if Harry wouldn't be able to comprehend his answer.

"Fine, but I want you to grow up James, you've been so naughty, for no reason, being nasty to your brothers and the fight with Sirius, I couldn't believe my eyes."

"He hit me first!" James yelled and stood up, "He hit me!"

"You implied to him that you hated him because he couldn't speak, I didn't believe you could be so heartless." Harry sighed and couldn't stop the look he gave James when he shrugged as if he didn't care.

"I'm beginning to think school is causing these problems, and I swear to you if you don't pick up your attitude I'll home school you. That's your ultimatum."

James looked unimpressed and quite hurt, he made to leave but again Harriet grabbed his arm.

"Another thing I've considered is that you're depressed, Jay do you want to go to see a healer?"

Harry was very hurt by the glare James sent him. He yanked his arm away and stomped off.

"Kreacher," Harry called, immediately Kreacher came to take away the untouched tea tray, but Harry stopped him.

"Tell me straight away if James tries to leave, and could you please bring me his wand?"

"At once, Mistress Malfoy," Kreacher said with a bow, Harry grimaced at the name but let it slide, Kreacher was over the moon when they came to the manor, he wouldn't shut up about it.

**30th June 2013**

Harry handed all the boys their Hogwarts letters, Lorcana was starting this year too, she was already running around gushing about how she would be in Ravenclaw like her mother. Draco and Blaise both kept telling her she was Slytherin through and through and Scorpius called her a Hufflepuff just to frighten her.

Harry watched Teddy closely and let loose the most godforsaken embarrassing high pitched squee when he pulled out the shiny new prefect badge.

Teddy looked at it in utter horror, then looked at Harry with a shocked expression (she so rarely actually acted like a woman, Draco still had to make sure she didn't try to stand up to pee) then turned his frightened face to George.

"Uncle George, please-"

"TEDDY'S A PREFECT EVERYONE!" George cried and lifted Teddy on to his shoulders dancing around the room, "P is for prat, P is for Ponce, P is for prick-"

"George!" Harry warned.

"Oops sorry mummy, P is for Poindexter!"

Teddy looked quite uncomfortable as George paraded around the room with him on his shoulders, but he sat there and listened to all of Uncle George's words beginning with P.

Finally George let him down and Harry congratulated him. James was sitting at the table just eating breakfast. His letter was unopened.

**25th December 2013**

It was almost the end of another year, Narcissa took great pleasure in decorating the Manor for Christmas. They were all in the large sitting room on Christmas night, the fire was lit and Kreacher had supplied them with insane amounts of coco and sweets.

He Harry and Blaise were all 33, George 35 and Luna 32. His mother would be 58 in two months.

Scorpius was sleeping, his head on his father's lap, only seven, Teddy was trying to subtly eat as many rum balls as he could without them noticing, Draco wasn't worried, he was 15 so a little alcohol wouldn't hurt.

Lucas and Roxanne, would be two next year, both were in bed already. Lorcana was eleven, Lysander ten and he was draped over Luna Blaise and Lyda, Lyda was seven.

Sirius and James were leaning against the wall, (thirteen years old) James was not much better behaved and Draco still hadn't told Harry about the potion, or spoken to James about it at all for that matter, about any of it, James hadn't said two words to him since the night he ran off to Arthur Weasley's.

Draco sighed and ran his hand through Scorpius' blonde hair as he slept.

"Come on, off to bed with you," Draco patted his back and lifted him up, "Teddy, stop eating the rum balls, time for bed, Sirius, James you too."

Draco carried Scorpius to bed while Harry went to say goodnight to the others. Once Scorpius was tucked in, he headed towards James room. The door was open and he was just climbing into bed.

"Can I have a word?" Draco asked, James rolled his eyes and didn't reply so Draco went and sat on the edge of his bed, in a not so familiar way as he would have with the other boys.

"I've gone wrong some where, James, I don't know how to fix it."

"Leave," James suggested unhelpfully.

Draco shook his head, "I care about you all far too much for that. How about we try from the top, you can call me Draco instead of dad, if you like."

James looked at him.

"Like that will help?" he asked.

"I'm making an effort here James, you're my son, whatever you want to go say about blood, you're my son and I love you."

James rolled his eyes.

"I'll give you some time to think about this, write a list if you have to, tell me what I've done wrong. Please. I want you to call me dad again."

Draco briefly squeezed James's shin, then he left.


	11. Chapter 11

**3rd August 2014**

The Hogwarts letters came on Roxanne's second birthday, her hair was as bright as her fathers and brothers and she was the smartest little girl Harry knew. Lorcana would be starting this year, and her father was already tormenting her.

"I'm going to be in Ravenclaw!" Lorcana said for the fourth time stubbornly. Her father just smiled at her.

"Na uhh," Blaise said.

"It doesn't really matter what house you're in," Scorpius said matter-of-factly.

James' friend raised an eyebrow.

"No one wants to be a snake, though." he said quietly to James. He was staying for only a couple of days this summer. Nathan Robins, he was Dezelma Robins only son, she had gotten pregnant at 17 and was a single mother.

"I heard that," Draco told the boy, Harry was amused by his menacing tone, since they were married she found it so hard to take Draco seriously when he was trying to intimidate someone. The whole family was in the dining room of the manor, Zabinis and Weasleys included as was the custom for when Hogwarts letters came. Harry couldn't believe how much his boys had all grown up. Teddy was in his second last year for Merlin's sake.

Teddy smiled at Harry, "You're looking upset," he said, his hair was still black with green tips, a look he was quite fond of his eyes amber, the same colour as his father's.

"When did you get so big?" She asked. "I'm too young to have a grown up son."

He smiled at her as she took a swig of pumpkin juice, then she spat it out he had made his two front teeth be three times their normal size.

"You look like professor Granger!" Nathan yelled out, Harry's forehead creased. He missed Hermione and Ron, and all the Weasleys.

"It's ok," Teddy smiled, teeth their normal size, "I'll grow up and get married and before you know it, you can look after various colour changing grandchildren."

Harry slapped him lightly on the arm, Teddy was such a perfect mix of Remus and Tonks it was uncanny. He was also taller than her, she didn't like that.

"Look at my O.W.L.s!" Teddy exclaimed then, thrusting the piece of paper into her hands, Harry nearly spat out her pumpkin juice again.

_The Ordinary Wizarding Levels grade system are as follows;_

_O - Outstanding_

_E - Exceeds Expectations_

_A - Acceptable_

_P - Poor_

_D - Dreadful_

_T - Troll_

_Ordinary Wizarding Levels for Mr. Teddy R. Lupin;_

_Charms: O_

_Transfiguration: O_

_Herbology: E_

_Defence Against the Dark Arts: O_

_Ancient Runes: O_

_Potions: E_

_Arithmancy: O_

_Care of Magical Creatures: O_

_Astronomy: E_

"Oh, wow Teddy," Harry looked over the grades again and then smiled at her son, "that's brilliant, well done!" He smiled brightly at her. "I'm so proud of you."

Suddenly Kreacher popped by her side and tugged on her robes.

"Mistress Malfoy, Madame Pomfrey is here to see you." Harry frowned and thanked the elf then ran out of the dining room and down the foyer stairs to meet the healer.

"Harry," the Matron greeted, "Mr. Jordan sent for you, it's Olivia, she's dead."

Harry didn't stop as she summoned her cloak and grabbed the floo powder, Poppy went first and Harry followed her closely calling "Hogwarts infirmary."

Lee was kneeling against the wall crying, next to him on a hospital bed was a body, under a white sheet. It was pulled all the way over the head. Tasmin was on the bed too, Harry could see the Hogwarts letter poking out of her pocket.

Olivia was the same age as Teddy.

Lee looked up briefly, heartbroken, Tasmin paid no attention to Harry or the nurse.

"I found her on school grounds," Poppy told her, "I can't tell how she died, I think-"

"The killing curse?" Harry asked, the healer nodded and he understood why he was here - only an Aurour could confirm the use of an unforgivable.

She kindly and gently moved Lee and Tasmin from the room and pulled the curtains, not even Poppy could watch her, she supplied tea to the grieving family.

Harry pulled back the sheet and paused with a wave of grief. She cast the spell only the most trusted Aurours were taught and to an outsider it seemed like Harry Potter had vaporized and was breathed in by the corpse on the bed.

Harry landed in a dome shaped room, and slowly hazy features of a corridor materialized. She was looking around through Liv's eyes, just walking. She went to the DADA room and knocked on the door. Harry was unsurprised to find an answer.

The room was empty and Liv went straight to a seat at the back, Harry watched her pull her wand and put it to her temple. "Avada Ked-"

"Finite incumtartem!" Harry cried and felt her feet hit the hospital wing floor.

"Poppy?" Harry called and the old woman came straight into the curtained room.

"Yes?"

"She killed herself," Harry said quiet enough so the Jordan's wouldn't hear.

"There was no struggle, I found her on the floor of the DADA room." Poppy stared at the floor.

"I'll talk to the family," the older woman finally said, "if you could go to the ministry."

**8th August 2014**

The whole Malfoy household was at Olivia Jordan's funeral. The paperwork at the ministry had gone through as smoothly as any other suicide. Lee and Tasmin were both still devistated.

Lyda wasn't coping well either, the 8-year old had hardly stopped crying for the past week.

Harry was unsurprised but shocked - not even shocked was the right word - to find Bill and Fleur with their daughter there, Hermione and her daughter were standing in the back quietly.

The ceremony was quite large, the whole Order was there, Hogwarts staff and what Harry was sure all of the Ravenclaw house. Harry was standing with Teddy, Sirius, Luna, Blaise and Lyda. Fred and Tasmin were there too, Sirius was holding his younger friends hand, she had said nothing. Just crying. George was with Lee next to the coffin.

* * *

><p>Rose was bored, she shouldn't even be here, some kid of a friend of uncle George dies and she was stuck hanging around all the sad people.<p>

She looked around, the speeches had ended and people were moving around.

"Oh there," her mother grabbed her shoulder, "that girl looks your age, go play."

Her mother was pointing to a pale girl with dark, long wavy hair and hazy blue eyes. She was standing with an older boy, who had messy black hair and green, green eyes.

She walked over to them, not having a lot of contact with wizarding children, only the god-damned muggles from primary school.

"Hello, I'm Rose Weasley," Rose smiled at them and held out her hand.

"I'm Lyda Zabini," the girl said shaking her hand. "This is Sirius Potter."

_'God-damn Potters,' her mother swore again, 'there's four extra pages on his essay, it makes it so much harder for me to mark.' She paused, marking a B on the top with her quill and putting it aside, she picked up the other scrolls and flicked through them._

_'The other one didn't even hand in a paper.' Her mother sighed._

_'Don't worry about them babe,' her father called, 'our Rose will show them.'_

"Hi," Rose said, a little reserved. Was this the smart one or the troublesome one?

The boy waved, not a cheerful wave, just acknowledging that she had spoken to him, the dark haired girl couldn't have been older than eight, but seemed so much older as she dabbed at her yes.

"Your father is Harry Potter?" Rose asked the boy, the girl seemed not to want to talk, he only nodded.

"It's rude, not giving an answer when someone's being nice to you." Rose said loudly to the boy, she flicked her hair over her shoulder and stomped away like her mother did when her father was being rude.

"What a piece," Lyda said quietly, "are you alright Sirius?"

"Yeah," Sirius signed to her, "I hate it when people just assume I'm being rude. Don't worry about me bub, are you alright?"

Lyda fell apart again, her eyes scrunching up her mouth turning down as she sobbed, Sirius pulled her to him and stroked her dark hair.

Rose watched them, she had so little friends, but none of them were on her intellectual level, she was, after all, the smartest witch of her age - just like her mother. The boy hadn't said a word, but they seemed to be having a conversation... The way he comforted her, he looked so nice.

Rose glared, why wasn't he talking? He choose to use that funny hand language instead, wasn't he smart enough to speak? Rose looked for her mother, she was speaking to the black man who was the father of the dead girl, so she ran up to her mother, tugging on her black dress robes and calling for her attention.

"That Potter boy wouldn't talk to me, he was speaking with his hands? Why doesn't he talk like a normal person? Is he stupid?"

"Oh!" her mother looked shocked and her cheeks colored, she turned away from the black man and Uncle George and faced Rose.

"Rose, this is Lee Jordan, Lee this is my daughter Rose." Lee gave the girl a sad smile, then he excused himself.

"Hello Rosie!" Uncle George ruffled her hair and shot a funny look at her mother.

"That's Sirius Potter, he can't speak," George explained. Uncle George was her father's brother, but her father didn't talk to him since he took Harry Potters side after Aunt Ginny - her father's younger sister - died.

"Why not? He's stupid then isn't he?" Rose said smartly, her mother always told her the muggles at the school were stupid.

"No," George smiled awkwardly at her mother and turned back to Rose. "He lost his voice in an accident."

Rose thought about it for a moment, seemed to accept that answer and left again.

George turned to Hermione, "What have you been teaching that child Hermione?" she frowned at him.

"I haven't taught her anything wrong, she just wants to understand, she's more inquisitive than I am she's so so clever." Hermione wasn't smiling, more like defending the young girl.

George just gave her a look that said 'wasn't being mean' and she left.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you couldn't talk."

Rose was back with Sirius Potter and Lyda Zabini, now another girl had joined them, Lee Jordan's younger daughter by the look of it.

"Its ok," the new girl said sadly, Sirius Potter had used his hands and she spoke for him.

"Why did you lose your voice?" Rose asked.

"It's... Um..." the girl that translated before looked like she was having trouble with the motions his hands made. The dark haired girl - Lyda stepped in, while Sirius showed her once more.

"It's a very long story, Rose, perhaps another time." She said through her tears. Rose felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see her mother standing behind her.

"Come on Rose dear," she smiled a thin smile. "Time to go, Potter." the last bit was directed as a cold greeting to Sirius Potter who acknowledged their acquaintance with a small dip of his head.

They turned and left the large garden that the funeral had moved to after the girl was buried.

"Potters," her mother said the name like a curse word, "Merlin, Rose, why didn't you think before opening your mouth?"

Rose didn't respond. Firstly she didn't know what to say, secondly she didn't know what her mother was referring to, she always thought - she was the smartest witch of her age.

* * *

><p><strong>1st September 2014<strong>

The Hogwarts express was waiting on the station, they had managed to leave the manor for kings cross early, and Teddy could even run into Flourish and Blotts for a book before they made their way to Kings Cross.

They all grouped around the platform and went in one at a time, Teddy was waiting for Sirius, James and mum.

They came through the platform one by one, mum looked at the scarlet engine the same way every year - with longing and a little sadness.

"Be good," she said, looking at James in particular, "owl me a list of anything you've forgotton and-" she stopped speaking, and watched James. He was walking away.

"James!" Harriet cried, "James!" she said louder, Teddy left his trunk and darted over to grab his brother.

"Mum was talking to you," Teddy told him, pulling him back.

"She's not my mum," James said icily, Teddy couldn't believe his ears.

"Your _parent _is still speaking to you." Teddy said, "but I suppose I can't tell you what to do because I'm not your brother, hmm?" Teddy glared at him, and went back to his family.

"He's being a snarky little git again mum, I'll pass on the message."

Teddy felt guilty for the look of utter sadness that crossed his mothers face, it made him want to gouge Jame's eyes out, or at least smack him round a bit, and Teddy was sure he wasn't the only one.

"Don't worry about him, mum," Teddy hugged his godmother, "he'll grow up soon." Harry nodded and hugged her godson back.

"Well boys take care, keep an eye on James for me, from now on I'll be answering all his bad behavior letters so you'll be hearing from me."

Both Teddy and Sirius smiled at the thought of all the howlers James was bound to get. A girl from Hufflepuff had got one last term, it was so funny.

"Have a good term and don't forget to write." Harry hugged her two sons and sent them on their way, Luna and Blaise joined her as they left, Luna looking a little teary.

"It's not fair!" she whined to her husband, crossing her arms and burying her blonde head in his chest, Blaise chuckled at his wife and wrapped his arms around her. They spotted Lorcana from a window, she was waving excitedly at her parents who waved back. Lysander was next to her a wide smile on his face.

"He'll be fine, Sirius will look after him," Harriet told them, Blaise smiled but Luna just gave Harry an annoyed look.

"He'll be a _Ravenclaw," _Luna insisted again, Harry shook her head.

"Doesn't matter, the boys will look out for him."

* * *

><p>Teddy was sitting with his year at the Gryffindor table, he already saw Sirius sitting with Mina, they were both talking in sign, quite loudly, for lack of a better word, they would be loud had they been speaking aloud. The 'secret language' was making the other Slytherins quite nervous. Fred was sitting not to far from him with his second year friends, Teddy knew for a fact the boy had two pockets full of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products. He saw uncle George give them to his son before sending him off on the train.<p>

James was with his four friends, they were laughing - probably at someone else's expense - and indeed Victorie Weasley was three seats down looking rather upset.

The doors for the great hall opened and in came two lines of the little first years, the best part about being prefect was changing his hair colour and cut every day so they had trouble keeping track of "all the Gryffindor prefects"

Professor Flitwick, the charms teacher and Deputy Principal led the first years to the front of the hall and pulled out the sorting hat. He stood on the step behind the stool - because he was short - and held the scroll with the names. Then he sat the hat on the stool and let it sing.

_Hello again, and welcome friends_

_We've so much to learn._

_A brand new year, before it ends_

_Plenty of points to earn._

_One thousand years, or more or less_

_Four people, one idea_

_To teach children to be their best_

_And that's why we're all here!_

_And from inside your mind,_

_I'll decide where your points shall go._

_To Hufflepuff be you kind._

_Honest or loyal rules the show._

_Gryffindor, be you brave_

_More courage than the rest._

_To Ravenclaw Not for a knave._

_But they'll pass every test._

_Maybe Slytherin! For the ambitious_

_Dear snake, cunning and sly._

_But there is no house of nervousness_

_So give one of them a try!_

_The Hogwarts Sorting Hat I am_

_Once owned by Godric Gryffindor,_

_Now put me on, you see their plan._

_I'll sort you into houses four!_

There was polite clapping after the song for the hat and Teddy watched the entire ceremony until Lorcana - the final first year - was called front and center.

She walked up to the stool and sat down as Flitwick placed the hat on her was silent and even though he couldn't see her eyes, Teddy saw the stubborn set of her and already knew uncle George owed him ten galleons.

"Slytherin!" the hat screamed finally and Lorcana, seeming resigned headed over to the green and silver table.

* * *

><p><em>Dear mum and dad, and Uncles George and Draco, and Aunt Harriet.<em>

_I was sorted in slytherin, no matter how much I argued with that stupid hat, he kept saying I would get bored with ravenclaw. I guess I should trust him, I mean he was bragging about how the founders created him for that purpose in his little song._

_Its kind of ruined though, that hat. They should replace him, at least the outsides._

_Well I'm going to bed, I love you all and miss you already._

_Love Lorcana._

_xoxo_

The five adults looked at each other before Blaise turned his shit-eating grin on his wife.

"I win," he said, she huffed and just hugged him.

"I miss my little girl," Luna said, all the parents there looked around in agreement, missing their children.

"Come on, on to the boys letter," George whined.

_Hello Mum and Dad _(the first line was in Teddy's neat handwriting)

_I've already gotten four first years confused by changing my appearance it's so funny, I've even told a few of them there's only two prefects from each year and given false names._

_I was thinking, mum and dad, could I get a broom for my birthday? It's just lots of seventh year quidditch players left this year and I was thinking about trying out, I'm not going to be super good or anything but I do like flying, worth a try right?_

_And Uncle George, you owe me, Lorcana's in Slytherin!_

"You bet on my daughter's Hogwarts house with your sixteen year old nephew?" Luna asked, George just shrugged.

_I'm so happy Sirius won't be totally alone in his dorms, though I saw him talking to Mina and they_

There was a scuffle on the page where someone had obviously desperately tried to stop Teddy's writings.

_make such a cute couple._

_We are not dating!_ Sirius' handwriting was a little neater than Teddy's but Teddy's was almost identical to Draco's, Sirius' seemed to have developed Writing skills from a professional calligrapher, his handwriting was artful.

_Shut up Sirius! Stop interrupting my letter _Teddy's script was back. _So apart from confused first years and Uncle George owing me ten galleons, nothing much has happened, oh yeah, I forgot my toothbrush._

The writing switched to Sirius.

_Hello,_

_Not much to report, my roommate is acting a little, twitchy, but really that's it, Mina's fine, her sign has gotten so much better, can she visit over Christmas? Mr. And Mrs Thomas could come too, you were friends in school weren't you dad?_

_I missed Mina so much over summer, in a totally uncouple way._

There was a large line and ink blot on the paper and the handwriting switched again.

_He loooooooooooves her!_

The statement had been crossed out once, and Sirius writing continued.

_Teddy wanted me to tell you guys he's actually a muggle, and he has a fat head._

Finally the writing switched to Fred's messy scrawl.

_Oh my god, can you ground them for fighting over the quill, it's ridiculous, they're covered in ink! And I should practice my penmanship, it's embarrassing to see my writing next to their artistry._

The five adults all reading this En masse reading of the letter were all giggling, and they just about wet themselves finally reading Fred's messy description of his cousins.

_Ok, Dad, I went and put the swamp where you said, and Teddy shut your eyes or you'll get me in trouble, it's already causing a racket, I also left a small box of treats wrapped up in a nice present for Peeves. Figured that it was from you would encourage him to make good use of them. I'm expecting something brilliant at breakfast tomorrow._

_Sirius wants me to say goodnight for him, I'm banning them from the use of quills this year - honestly their handwriting is unnatural and uncle Draco, your mental for thinking good penmanship is important. So it's a very useful punishment for them._

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for all the reviews!<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**2nd November 2014**

Teddy was yawning from his spot at the Gryffindor table, it was a Friday, so his classes were horrible but the weekend was so, so very close.

They began N.E.W.T work straight away, so he was piled under massive amounts of homework already, one of the girls from his year was going to the hospital wing every morning for a dose of calming draught.

He looked around the room and spotted Sirius sitting at the Slitherin table alone, so before eating his own breakfast, Teddy stood and walked across the hall to sit with his brother.

"Good choice," Sirius signed as Teddy sat down.

"What do you mean?" Teddy asked, he still signed along as he spoke.

"James is getting a howler this morning from mum," Sirius explained, "His friends were calling me names, and well..."

Sirius dropped his hands.

"He didn't join in, did he?"

Sirius nodded. He grabbed Teddy's wrist to get his attention.

"I'll teach him a lesson," Teddy said, "nothing illegal, or too painful, I'm sure Uncle George and Fred will help."

Teddy shook his head. Sirius signed; "It was half assed, to keep face for his friends and he pulled me away pretty quick-"

Both boys stopped talking, they saw James look up from his own breakfast.

There was a sharp tap on the floor ever two seconds, from outside the great hall doors.

"He's not getting a howler," Teddy said quietly.

Harriet Potter blasted open the great hall doors, they were completely unharmed but the noise mad James (and the majority of students) jump. Her cane made a sharp crack when it hit the stone floor, her hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail, she was wearing just her every-day robes. She was not happy.

"I can't believe you." She stood in front of James and gestured him to stand up, he did so and she walked out of the hall with him looking quite grumpy behind her.

**16th December 2014**

Harriet Potter and Draco Malfoy were standing with their two sons on platform Nine and three quarters, Lucas was two and Draco had him sitting on his shoulders, Scorpius was eight and was waiting impatiently standing next to his mother.

The train pulled into the station with a billow of smoke, it was seven at night and Teddy could feel his stomach rumbling. He looked out the window and spotted his family straight away. Sirius was already heading over to them, Mina with him, she would be staying for the first week of the holidays. Those two were so getting married.

James seemed almost reluctant to meet them. Teddy looked at his trunk in the luggage rack. He whipped out his wand and floated it down and off the train, suppressing his grin at all the people who forgot about magic.

James hadn't been in trouble since he called Sirius those names, Teddy couldn't get the entire story from Sirius but Mina said James had called Sirius a good for nothing Slytherin and a dumb twat. Teddy had slipped a nosebleed nougat in James's breakfast Saturday morning.

Mum and dad greeted him, Draco of course not failing to notice his peroxide silver hair - always with the green tips. "Come on we'll take you for dinner!" Harry said, holding Scorpius' hand as they went through the barrier. James was next, about as snooty and brooding as usual followed by Draco, Sirius and Teddy.

"Hey Teddy!" Teddy looked around and saw a girl from his year waving at him, he waved back and insisted she have a nice summer.

"Oh, ladies man are we?" Dad asked, his blonde eyebrows wiggling.

Teddy gave him a look. "No," was his lame reply.

"So boys how's school? And you Mina, of course," Harry asked loudly, James didn't reply, but Teddy called out fine as Sirius signed 'good'.

"Actually Mrs Malfoy, I wanted to ask you something for my History of Magic essay, we're learning about the first and second wars and we have to write a paper over the summer, could you give me an interview?"

Harry looked a little surprised at the request. "Sure," Harry said, "Draco could probably help too, if you needed more than one source?"

"Oh Thank you so much!" Mina gave a little skip in her step and continued walking, Teddy saw Sirius smile fondly at the girl.

They are _so _getting married.

* * *

><p>It was the second day of the school holidays and already Mina had sat his parents down to interview them. Mina beat him as far as grades go and he was not stupid. She still signed everything she said, and Sirius noticed his mother noticing and giving him - what he supposed - was a significant glance. Teddy had just taken to saying "They are <em>so <em>getting married," whenever he thought the comment was appropriate. Mina was pretty, sure, but Sirius just wasn't interested in having little crushes, specially with the only person - aside from Tasmin and his family - that could understand him.

Tasmin hadn't come back to school yet, she was still grieving her sister, he sent her letters, making sure she was looking after herself and getting better.

"Ok, that's everything, thank you so much Mr. And Mrs Malfoy!"

The girl jumped up and skipped over to her friend - she had a funny sort of spring to her step when she was excited - "I can't wait to write this!" Mina said to him, "it'll be so good, I'm sure I can keep it to the right length too."

Sirius smiled and signed; "you're a total nerd." She poked her tongue at him. "And a child," he added when she looked at him again, then they headed upstairs.

* * *

><p><strong>25th December 2014<strong>

Christmas morning had been fairly exciting, even James seemed to have cooled down enough to stop pretending he'd rather be somewhere else. They all sat down for a large Christmas dinner, the whole household, and even Llaria Zabini had joined them.

Dad looked at Mum excitedly, Teddy was sure he was the only one who saw the glance. Then mum stood up with her champaign glass of pumpkin juice raised and the room fell silent.

She smiled, she looked a bit older than what she was, only 34, but seemed closer to 40, her hair was not long, often quite poofy and tied back.

"Every one," Mum called, holding up her glass. "Merry Christmas!" she exclaimed and the room all held there glasses high, "and Draco and I have a bit of news."

She paused and Dad wrapped an arm around her legs from where he was sitting.

"I'm pregnant - again!"

Teddy smiled at the news, knowing he shouldn't feel uneasy because of this. It was just a change, and a nice one at that. Sirius jumped up and hugged his parents, Scorpius looked pleased; James did not.

There was a loud, scraping bang and James threw his chair away and stood, "It's not supposed to be like this..." he said quietly. "IT'S NOT EVEN FAIR!" James then screamed and he ran from the room. Teddy looked at his mother, who had her mouth open in a small 'o', her cane clattered to the ground. Draco stood next to her, his hand on the small of her back. She dropped her head and he made her sit down.

"I'll talk to him," Teddy grabbed Scorpius hand and lifted Lucas out of his chair, Narcissa took the boys from him and the Zabinis all left the room, George asked his two kids to go with Narcissa and went over to Harry.

Teddy left the kitchen and went to the back of the house where the main staicase was, he climbed the stairs and made his way to the Potter's wing, then he knocked on James' door.

* * *

><p>Draco held Harry close to him. She still hadn't said anything.<p>

"I can't, I..." Harry started she stopped, as if there was nothing else to say.

"It's not your fault Love," Draco brushed a stray lock of hair off her face and pulled her in for an even tighter hug.

"He wasn't even making sense." Harry said quietly. She put her hands on her stomach, she was about three weeks along now, so there was no bump.

"Harry there's something you should know." Draco held her shoulders and sat her down.

"I can't, don't understand," Harry was crying now, her eyes glazed over as if she were a million miles away.

"I..."

"James slipped me the potion," Draco said bluntly. Harry pulled her hand away, shocked and confused.

"Neville told me they found it was _James_ Borgin gave the potion too, he only meant to turn me into a woman, he wanted you to leave me."

Harry looked like she would be sick. "You didn't tell me?" Harry pulled her hand away. "You waited until _now _to tell me." She looked like she could murder him. "You, what, didn't think James might be so miserable because of this guilt and no one HELPED HIM!" Harry screamed.

"Harry," Draco held his wife's hands down, she struggled but couldn't break free - Draco was proud of himself, she was incredibly strong. She looked him in the eye and collapsed into herself, she slumped against his chest and cried.

"I hate this, I hate it but you, I can't, oh Merlin, Draco what will we do?"

Draco hushed her, whispering into her ear how it will all be okay.

"You're beautiful, Harry, man or woman." Draco brushed her hair from her watery eyes and handed her his clean handkerchief. She smiled somberly at him. "I'm sorry; about James' behavior, you've been only good-"

Draco pressed a finger to her lips. "You don't have to apologize. He's my son too."

Harry smiled sadly and he kissed her, then they broke apart when a boom ripped through the air. The whole manor shook and there was a loud cry from upstairs.

"TEDDY!" Harry pulled her wand out straight away bolting up the stairs into the corridor, Draco, his wand out was right behind her.

He reached their wing to the sound of Harry swearing and yelling instructions to Sirius. Teddy was lying on the carpet, his face was ripped apart at one side, long thick splinters of James' bedroom door scattering the hall and sticking out of the sixteen year old.

He was in shock, shaking but not crying, white as a ghost, his hair and eyes included. Sirius was holding Teddy's hand and doing his best to keep the boys attention, his arms were scattered with smaller cuts.

Draco ran to the nearest room and flooed straight to St. Mungos, heading straight for the emergencies. the Healer was male, and tall and didn't bother introducing himself.

"Teddy Lupin was injured by an exploding door, male, 16, metamorphugus," Draco rattled off, noticing the pleasant surprise of the healer.

"Malfoy Manor, top floor east wing," Draco said to the healer as he grabbed some floo powder. The healer repeated the destination and Draco followed directly.

They went straight to the antechamber of the Potters wing and by the time Draco had gotten there the healer was already casting spells over Teddy.

"Sirius, please go to Blaise and tell him what happened," Harry said to her son, she stood out of the Healers way but close enough to hear him should he call.

"Mr. and Mrs Malfoy," it was only seven minutes later that a small team had come and taken Teddy to St. Mungos, the primary emergency healer held out his hand and they both shook it.

"I'm Healer Brofloski," The man introduced himself, his face still undeniably grim, "Mr. Lupin will be fine, he may have scarring on the right side of his face, but that will be the extent of the damage, and he can hide it if he chooses, of course."

Harry nodded, Draco squeezed her shoulders.

"Go to the hospital, I'll talk to James and Sirius." Draco pushed her to follow the healer, who, hearing his comment waited.

Draco went to the fireplace after they left and called "Ground floor, south wing."

Luna was standing with Sirius in the south wing antechamber waiting for Draco, Sirius went to Draco straight away and buried his head in Draco's chest.

"Draco, Sirius told me what happened," Luna paused. "Teddy?" She trailed off uncertainly at the end, Sirius lifted his head to look at his father.

"He's at St. Mungos now," Draco said very detached, "He'll be fine." Draco looked at Sirius bleeding arms, they were just scratched up.

The other two in the room visibly relaxed. Luna still wasn't smiling though. Sirius just stayed clinging to Draco.

"Sirius told me he and Teddy followed James. Who had barricaded himself in his room, and then they heard James cast _bombarda _and James left, with a bag and his broom." Draco raked his hand through his hair, one arm still rubbing Sirius' back.

"Thanks Luna, Sirius, wait here, I need to sort out Scorpius and Lucas, then I'm taking you to Mungos too."Sirius detached himself from Draco's side and headed out the door, Luna gently squeezed his hand for support and Draco walked up to his mothers wing.

"Lucas is asleep," Narcissa smiled at her son, "Scorpius is just off to bed," as she said it Scorpius came out in his pyjamas his stuffed kelpie hanging by the mane from his left hand.

"Night daddy, Grandma," he yawned and headed to Narcissas' spare room.

"Thank you mum," Draco said she hugged him lightly and smoothed down her night dress.

Draco left the room, looking for Sirius to get his arms healed.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N **Sorry updates have been so long a wait, I've just finished school and started working non stop.

Short but I wanted to give you something.

**26th December 2014**

Draco and Sirius were sitting in the waiting room with Harry, she had been there when they got there early that morning and was sleeping on Draco's shoulder now. Sirius looked horribly worried, Draco still wondered if he should have brought him.

A healer finally came out. Harry jumped up straight away a little dazed when Draco prodded her awake but it took her only moments to spot the healer and wait for news.

"It was a big accident, being that close to a Bombarda curse, it caused a lot of internal damage too, the splinters are gone, we're going to keep him for a couple extra days, the internal damage should be healed by tomorrow and I want to do a secondary check for splinters."

"Thank you," Harry said gratefully.

"I'll give him a quick check up, do you and your Husband want to see Teddy?" Harry nodded.

The healer showed them to Teddy's room. He was awake and had a bandage around his head, mostly on the right side. He smiled, perfectly happy.

"Are you alright?" Harry was sitting on the bed looking at him worriedly, he smiled and nodded - Draco stood haughtily at the foot of his bed.

"It doesn't hurt anymore, mum, stop worrying."

"Your eye?" Harry didn't finish the question, his right eye was bandaged also.

"It will heal completely," Teddy reassured her, "my face will be a bit scarred."

Harry nodded and hugged him gently.

"Is Sirius alright?" Teddy asked, "He was right there too."

"I saw the healer last night, just some scrapes and bruises," Sirius told him.

"And James?" Teddy asked shifting uncomfortably.

"I don't know where he went," she tried and failed to smile reassuringly at him. "I'm assuming he went to the Weasleys or his friends." Harry smiled at her godson. "Don't look so guilty, love it's not your fault."

Teddy nodded, Harry noticed his hair was slowly getting longer to cover his eyes, he bit his lip.

"Teddy?" Harry looked around when Healer Brofloski opened the door, Draco went to him straight away and Harry turned back to Teddy.

"Sweetheart what's wrong?"Harry brushed his hair from his eyes and shuffled over next to him on the thin hospital cot.

"He - James, that is-" Teddy began. "He wasn't happy, with anyone really," Teddy took a deep breath. "Ok." he furiously wiped his eyes and looked at her dead on.

"He was unhappy, like, really unhappy, he was always telling his friends about how Draco was always bossing him around and how he was supposed to be totally responsible for Sirius and how he always has to watch Scorpius and even how you tended to spend more time with everyone else and loved Draco more than him, but he's been distancing himself anyway, so it's hardly our fault he's never there." Teddy was tearing up a little again and Harry hugged him a bit closer. "He just decided to be a total dick about all the weird things about our family, he's told _everyone_ in Gryffindor what happened to Sirius' voice and is always going on about how Draco is poisoning the 'war hero'. He's told me, a hundred times I'm not really his brother because I'm adopted." Harry looked shocked, she couldn't help it even when Teddy noticed her expression and backtracked.

"It's not him, not how he was raised, it's that generation, and it's only the Gryffindors. They think the war some how proved they are the best house and can do no wrong, even though I know you told James how it all went down. Particularly his friends -they're the worst for it, always picking on other kids because they're all pompous twats." Teddy didn't look upset anymore, he looked angry, "James is just being a twat, I noticed his first god damn day at school he found those friends and they worshiped him because he's the son of THE Harry Potter." Teddy looked at his godmother. "Sirius noticed it to, and he knows what James says about him behind his back because James' little friends are always picking on him, and when Scorp starts I won't be there to help them anymore."

Harry had a heartbreaking look in her face. "He's a bad kid," she said, "he's a bully and a bad kid." Harry couldn't even smile a little for Teddy's sake.

"Mum, it's not your fault." Teddy hugged her to him, he was not a little boy but a broad shouldered, tall, kind-eyed young man and now Harry leant against her son and cried. "Its not your fault, and he'll grow up and be sensible soon. If not, we tried."

Harry smiled sadly at him, he squeezed her tighter. "I'm so proud of you Teddy, your parents would be proud of you too." Despite everything Teddy beamed at Harry's comment and she smiled back at him.

"I'll find James," Harry began as Draco and Sirius walked in, "So we know where he is and that he's safe. I'll make sure he's welcome there and I'll pay his way for the family he's with and he can come back when he's ready." Harry looked at Draco and he nodded glumly, Teddy had waved Sirius over to him and the two were signing to each other.

"Ok, I'm fine here, you guys go home." Teddy pushed Sirius off the bed gently and waved his parents away.

"I don't want to leave you Ted," she said, Teddy just have her a look that said I'm-a-big-boy-go-away and continued his 'shooing' motion.

"Fine, but if you need me you floo, or get a healer to floo, do you want anything from home?"

* * *

><p>Armed with a list of Teddy's most desired things Harry ransacked his room finding all of them and returned them to the hospital Teddy was messily sprawled over his bed deeply asleep, his hair was a sky blue and he was drooling a little bit.<p>

Harry went straight to the ministry from St. Mungos, heading from her old partner's office to the office in the corner that deals with the trace. The room was dark with only a table in the center, what looked like pinpriks on an old parchment map shone out of the table.

Harry used his index fingers to zoom in on England, then on the Burrow, seeing a single light moving around. The others were moving and blinking and flashing too. Harry stared at the light for a bit then went to the next empty office to call Mr. Weasley.

**Chapter 14 - 27th December 2014**

The floo was uncomfortable and she was quiet when her chin hit the floor of the Weasely's kitchen. A worn pair of socks were sitting on one of the mismatched chairs and they jumped a little then shuffled around to face her.

Mr. Weasley knelt down and frowned a little at Harry.

"He's here," he said, referring to James. "He doesn't want to go home either."

"I know," Harry told him, "I'll only force him to come home if you won't let him stay, I'll make sure his way is paid -"

"Come through, Harry." Arthur interrupted her.

Harry stood and pulled her head from the floo, stepping through before it closed. She tripped into the kitchen, and the old man caught her whilst setting a tea set onto the table.

"He's with Hermione and Ron, they needed some help moving things around, Hugo's getting a big boy bed."

Harry nodded at the answer to her unspoken question of where he was now.

"I've had an awful long time to think son," Arthur began, "you know I never blamed you for G-Ginny or Molly, or Fred." He paused and took a long sip of his tea. "Well, I've come to be a very lonely old man, George won't talk to me, and Bill's spent the past twelve months in France, Charlie's never in the country and Ron and Hermione don't really visit. I've always thought of you like a son and Malfoy's or not, James and Sirius are my grandsons and I want to see them."

Harry nodded. "Ron and Hermione-" Harry began in a weak voice but stopped at Arthur's look.

"They've changed too much," He said, "Ron's become angrier, Hermione so work driven."

Arthur laughed as if he was going to cry. "You've changed the least of anyone, Harry."

Harry looked at herself, and laughed along with him. He pushed a cup of tea towards her and Harry told him about James, more importantly about Teddy being injured and that he was okay.

"He'll see the scars at school, and it's important that he know what he does has concequences, I'll write him if you like but-"

Arthur stopped her useless train of thought with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"It will be better coming from me."

"His favourite ice-cream is vanilla," Harry said, "And he will never ask for them but he loves the rainbow sprinkles, and he still has my invisibility cloak, so make sure he takes care of it, and doesn't get into too much trouble. Hes very powerful, just doesn't really have the drive to learn or apply that but I _know_ he wants to be an auror, so his grades will need to improve. He's rubbish at Herbology and not so great with Potions too; he has trouble with telling the difference between plants and ingredients and such but usually if you sit him down and make him learn, he has to touch it, or taste it, or look at it hes okay. He, he loves flying, more than anything and-"

"Harry," Arthur interrupted her, "He'll be fine, and he'll come home soon, I'm sure of it."

Harry nodded. looking at the man before her. His hair wasn't red anymore but grey. She shook her head.

"I don't know what I've done wrong-"

Arthur stopped her finishing her thought.

"You have five children?" He asked, Harry shook her head.

"Six, one on the way."

Arthur smiled. "You have six children, and James is the distant one, you can still tell me so much about him. He's growing up, having an identity crisis, it happens to them all at some point. For Bill it happened when he met Fleur. For Percy it happened at the start of the second war, Charlie is still going through his, its where they have this burning desire to be anywhere but home. James is only young, so he thinks his parents are the worst in the world and has all these big ideas. He makes up things to make himself seem more interesting and worldly, his friends admire him to the point of hero-worship. It's nothing you've done, it's his choice not to listen and one day he'll realize he should have."

Harry smiled at him sadly.

"Thank you, Mr. Weasley, you're welcome at our house any time, I insist, and I'll send you some money to see James through school."

* * *

><p>The rest of their Christmas break went by quite uneventfully, and Harry had finally let Sirius' prophecy go a little bit, she still worked with him for his non-verbal spells but Draco noticed the change from training to Sirius actually enjoying learning new things. It was very hard to not worry, they had no suspects as to who would disturb the peace after the second War and of course the idea that Sirius loses this battle was a weight Draco or Harry could never shake, but for now they let it rest in the back of their minds. The trip back to Kings Cross was hell as usual, Teddy, Sirius, Lorcana and Fred all trying to get their luggage sorted while the adults juggled all the younger children and helped the older ones.<p>

"I can't believe you graduate this year," Harry said to Teddy, who smiled at her while saying goodbye to Scorpius.

"I'm so excited," I've been owling Uncle Bill about working for Gringotts after school. Harry slapped his shoulder playfully then hugged him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" The bell for eleven o'clock rang and Harry and Draco pushed Sirius and Teddy towards the train.

"Be good," Draco said.

"Make sure you write," Harry reminded them. grabbing Draco's hand and leaning against him.

"You should have brought your cane, love." Draco said in her ear, she shifted her weight a bit and grimaced.

"Its such a pain, though."

They smiled and waved when Draco pointed out Sirius and Mina waving from a window and Teddy two carriages up waving from the door. then the train lurched forwards and was off.

"I didn't see James," Draco sighed.

"I know." Harry said, "I miss him."

* * *

><p><strong>10th June 2014<strong>

The boys had gotten home late last night and were still in bed, Bill and Fleur sat in the kitchen, Roxanne was pouting in a corner Louis was talking to Scorpius who had a sour expression on his face as if he didn't have time for the blonde twelve year old and Dominique was sitting on her fathers lap quietly.

Bill still had his earring and ponytail, the scars from Greyback had faded though and he looked much older but quite relaxed. Fleur looked quite torn at weather or not it was ok for her to be there, Harry didn't really blame her, considering she was a first hand witness to some of her biggest fights with the Weasleys.

"Draco's just getting Teddy now," Harry smiled awkwardly from her place against the wall near the stairs, Her cane was by her side though she wasn't leaning on it. Her knee only really hurt now in the cooler weather.

"Hey Uncle Bill!" Teddy was in only his Pajama pants which caused both Fleur and Victory to blush quite severly Bill shook his hand and smiled brightly.

"I have a job for you Ted," Bill announced happily, "I have a mate in China that could use an apprentice." Teddy whooped and his face was split by a huge smile, his hair changed to bright yellow and stood on end.

Harry chucked at him and he came to give her a hug.

"China 'ey?" Harry said, trying to be happy.

"I'll visit, I promise." Teddy said, his hair slowly got darker. Harry ruffled it.

"You better," she sighed. Draco shook Teddy's hand in congratulations only to be pulled into a hug by the young man.

"One thing," Bill said, "The pay isn't much, "and you need to pay your own way while your there." Teddy's face fell.

"That's no problem," Draco said smiling at him.

"Wow, China!" Teddy ran upstairs exclaiming that he needed to pack.

"When does he start?" Harry asked Bill. Bill chuckled after the boy who had pranced up the stairs in excitement.

"Not for two months."


	14. Chapter 14

_**I know prefects are chosen in fifth year, I made a mistake**__ and I really don't want to re-write all of it, so let's pretend its actually sixth year? mmmmkay?_

**1st September 2016**

Sirius was first through the wall between platforms nine and ten and he couldn't help but smile as the hubbub of the first day of school hit him like a wave. It reminded him of candy and parchment and excitement and of being eleven again when he and James were so excited to be starting school.

Scorpius came through next, looking excited –turning eleven in thirteen days meant he should have been starting next year, but Draco got them to overlook it. Luna came through then Lyda who was starting this year too, Lorcana then Blaise then Lysander, Mum was next holding his 12 month old sister, then Fred, George and Roxy and finally Draco and Lucas.

Just as everyone was organising themselves and finding their children and each family was saying their goodbyes Sirius was shoved by an unknown shoulder.

"Hey Siri," Mina was standing in front of him smiling holding an animal cage in one hand and here trunk in the other.

Sirius waved and pointed to her collar, where a green and silver prefect badge was pinned to her robes.

She pointed to his matching one and congratulated him.

"You never wrote to me," Mina said, laughing when he held up his full hands to show he couldn't reply he glared at her playfully.

"Hello Mina, we didn't see you this break?" Mum had come over to see her and she smiled brightly at her.

"I know!" Mina exclaimed then quickly turned her attention to the small child in Harry's arms, "Ohh this is Prae?"

"Yeah she was born August 29th last year. Teddy named her."

"For his grandmother?" Mina remembered Sirius telling her.

"Praecipua," Harry told her, "After a star to keep up the tradition for Narcissa and Andromeda."

"Oh ok. Sirius wanted me to tell you he loves changing diapers," Mina said. Sirius' eyes went wide and he desperately tried to shuffle his things so he could speak. Harry laughed at them both. "And he loves cleaning toilets." Mina finished smiling sweetly at Sirius, kissing his cheek, saying goodbye to Harry and heading off towards the scarlett train.

"Those two are _so_ getting married."

"Teddy!"

Harry launched herself at her son and hugged him followed by the rest of the family; finally someone took the cage and baby bag from Sirius so he could speak.

"I do not like changing diapers," Sirius signed, "and I'm going to _kill_ Mina."

Finally the train was getting ready to leave and the students piled on. Sirius found Mina and hung out the window and waved to Mum, Dad and Teddy.

"You're so mean to me," Sirius signed, she smiled back at him and signed back;

"You love it."

"We have to go do prefect things!" Mina said standing up and dragging Sirius along with her. They locked their compartment and headed to the front of the train.

Inside the head boy and girl were waiting for all the prefects.

William Lewis and Chloe Stellar were there from Gryffindor and Mark Migden and Maisy Wood were the Huffelpuff prefects and Benjamin Hopkins and Lyn Mattaisan were there from Ravenclaw. Sirius didn't know the others from the other years except the Slytherin prefects but they were all introduced, albeit with Mina's help on his part and the Head boy and Girl, both Gryffindors they were given shifts to patrol the train in pairs, the Gryffindor seventh years were first so Mina and Sirius went back to their compartment.

"Rose is so sweet, I practically live their now,"

Sirius turned his head at the familiar voice and found James and his three oaf friends in a compartment.

Mina noticed he was no longer following and caught up with him.

"The mute and his hoe!" one of the other boys said quietly – not quietly enough but at least he _tried_.

"Can I talk to you, James?" Sirius signed, James stood, looking annoyed.

"You should at least read Mum's letters before you send them back." Sirius signed first while pulling a photograph of Prae from his pocket.

"Her names Prae," Mina said helpfully.

"Who is she?" James asked, frowning at the picture of the little girl with the silver eyes and bright red hair.

"Our sister." Sirius told him, "And Teddy's moved to china he's working as a cursebreaker's apprenti-"

James grabbed Sirius' hands and held them still.

"I don't care," James said bluntly. "I've got a new family now, a real one; I don't need to fucking listen to this."

"James!" Mina said horrified.

"Get the hell away from me," James shoved Sirius back into Mina and they both fell down.

Sirius got off her straight away and offered her a hand up.

"I landed on my knee funny." Mina said as she struggled to stand. "God he's a dick." Sirius simply nodded in agreement and helped her walk back to their compartment.

The sorting was as boring as the other years that night, but the food was as quality as usual. Sirius was delighted when both Scorpius and Lyda were sorted into Slytherin and clapped loudly with all the others, faintly ignoring the not-so-subtle hissing he could hear coming from James' direction. Thankfully Scorpius and Lyda didn't notice, just raced over to sit with their classmates. Lyda was the final child to be sorted and after McGonagall said her bit, the food was served.

"Do you want some plate with those mashed potatoes?" Sirius smiled when he heard Scorpius' snarky quip directed at Mina.

"No thank you," Mina signed as her mouth was full, already starting on her mountain of mashed potatoes. Sirius grabbed the gravy boat and drenched the pile in it to be rewarded with an excited but muffled squeal from Mina and a half hug. Scorpius sat down and prodded Sirius to get his attention.

"The other guys are great," He said, "the guy with the short black hair is Raoul Leroy, his dad works in the ministry, and the tanned really short one there is Lee Tofi," Scorpius nudged Sirius again to make sure he was listening, "The tall skinny kid with the dark hair is Florence Church, his mums a cursebreaker like Teddy! And the last boy with the really dark skin is Mathias Dill, He's from India but his parents have lived here for years. The girls are Ferran Daughtery, the one with the really curly hair and Mel Shortland; she's the really little one next to Lyda, the red-head and Una Kane who's the blond. Lyda said they're all really nice, and she told me to say hi too," Scorpius waved to his new friends again. "I'm so excited, I still can't believe Dad got them to take me early, it's so cool here."

"Hey!" Mina looked at Scorpius, "You're not eleven yet!"

"Ayah pulled some strings," Sirius told her, ruffling Scorpius' hair when he smiled innocently at them.

"He's 11 on the 13th September so they said they'll overlook this one." Scorpius said his goodbyes and ran up to get his dinner and talk to his new friends.

**HP**

Rose was in the common room with most of the other first years. Her mother stood in front of them telling them about the school rules and curfew which she already knew. There were four other girls in her dorm, Evie and Grace Dee, Page Potts and Holly Duke. Evie and Grace were obviously identical twins, both blonde, thin girls. They wore second hand robes and had an air of scruffiness that reminded her of Granddad Arthur's patched up house. Page was a much bigger girl, quite round with chubby cheeks and curly brown hair and freckles everywhere. Holly was a dark skinned girl with black hair and dark eyes. They all seemed agreeable enough; she hoped they weren't intolerable; she _would _be living with them for the next seven years, after all. The boys in her year were Ethan, Moss, Noah, Mason and Nat. Moss and Nat were quite stocky while Noah was tall and the others were short. None of them were particularly striking; all of them had different coloured hair (blonde, brown, black, dark brown and red respectively,) and distinctly different faces. They all had fair skin and were excitable and boisterous and continued talking in hushed tones as her mother lectured.

"Those boys will lose all the points I got in class today, I bet," Rose told Page smartly. Page looked at her with a smile.

"Its not really about the points though, it's about learning and growing up and having fun." Page said.

"I guess," Rose sighed. They both turned forward to continue to listen to Hermione.

**HP**

"Oh look, the little mute." Sirius stopped and turned to see Derrick and Nathan come out of an unused classroom each had a small white smoking stick in their hands, bringing it to their mouths breathing it in then blowing it out.

Sirius was waking Lyda and one of her friends to class. They had gotten lost and he found them while he was running an errand for Professor Longbottom.

"That's not nice," Lyda said quietly.

Sirius signed his own reply quickly and Lyda translated for him.

"Sirius is a prefect and will put you on detention if you don't move to your classes now."

"Oh he will?" Nathan stepped forward and shoved Sirius.

Sirius put his hand up in the universal sign for 'stop'.

The boys didn't listen, Nathan grabbed Sirius's arms and Derrick grabbed the collar of his robes, ripping the prefect badge from it.

They shove the little girls away from them, Lyda falling over with a cry.

Sirius just let them manhandle him, the badge was thrown out the window and he was pushed to the floor.

"DICKHEADS!" Lyda cried at them, she was gingerly touching her badly scraped knee and crying, looking at Sirius who was just pulling himself up and summoning his badge back.

Nathan took two long strides forward and punched Sirius in the eye as he stood.

"Siri!" Lyda scrambled forwards and picked his head up off the ground, it had hit so hard on his second fall the skin had split and he was bleeding.

The other boys danced and laughed away from the scene.

"I'm sorry Siri," Lyda patted his hair and he waved the apology.

"Not your fault," Sirius signed lazily, "Are you alright?"

"Yes," She said, he looked closely at her knee.

Sirius pointed his wand at her scraped knee and with a little charm fixed it.

"And your friend?"

"Mel, are you okay?" Lyda asked the other blonde girl, she nodded but stayed silent.

"Okay, come on, I'll get you two to class."

Lyda helped him up and he held his sleeve against his bleeding head.

He opened the door to the History of Magic room and led the girls inside.

"Where have you girls been? Potter, what's happened to you?"

"He was attacked by two Gryffindor boys," Lyda said, "we were lost and he was showing us the way to class and they called him names and pushed him around."

Professor Weasley looked at them, irritated.

"Potter," She said, obviously angry. "There's no need to be so elaborate to cover why you're not in class, detention all three of you, tonight, my office, seven o'clock I know all my Gryffindors are in class now. Go clean yourself up and go back to Herbology please." Weasley stared at him unwavering, "I'm disappointed; you're a prefect, Potter."

Sirius waited until he was out of the classroom before rolling his eyes, he went straight to the hospital wing.

"It's the first day Sirius!" Madame Pomfrey made him sit and pulled his hand away from his head. "_Episkey"_ She cast the healing charm on his head and he felt it go very hot then cold. "Slight scar," she muttered to herself, "Here," She gave him a vial of blood replenishing potion and a salve for his eye. "Ok, I'll get the Headmistress." Poppy announced before rushing from the room. Sirius was happy to wait for them to return, it took ten or so minutes.

McGonagall was a wonderful headmistress, having Sirius at school meant most of the faculty were made to learn sign as well. He didn't like the fuss, but appreciated it none-the less. She had heard him out and had already spoken to Nathan Robbins and Derrick Carlyle by the looks on their faces at dinner. Mina was unashamedly glaring at them with every fibre of her being. He tapped her shoulder so she would stop. "Sorry," She signed, paused to eat another forkful of mashed potatoes. "They're so dumb." She signed whilst chewing.

"Dumb?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, Dumb!" Mina said out loud. "Merlin I love mashed potatoes."

Sirius laughed at her and continued to eat his own stew and she finished her spoonful of potatoes and warily eyed off the serving bowl full of it. Mina had hardly changed at all since first year. Her skin was still the same dark shade, her hair still long, straight and impossibly black, she was still too adorable looking to ever be considered hot, and she was petite, short and thin despite eating at least a kilo of mashed potatoes every day.

"You know if I try to describe them accurately I'll totally lose it. We have that potions essay to do tonight too."

Sirius nodded to her idle ramblings.

"Heyyyy Siri?" Mina perched her head on his shoulder. He looked at her, fully expecting what was coming next. "Can you help me with potions? I'm rubbish at it."

"Only if you help me with Arithmancy and Charms?" Sirius signed back. She smiled and plonked her head on his shoulder again, yawning.

**HP**

"Hello James," Rose Weasley sat down next to James and the other sixth year boys. She smiled and batted her eyelashes at them.

"Hey Rosie," James pulled her against his side in a one armed hug, "guys, this is my little sister Rose," The boys all said a friendly hello.

Rose was tall for her age, her hair was bushy like her mother's but red like her father's and she was smart like her mother but quick-tempered like her father and she was a Gryffindor like them both.

"She's adorable," Randy said, "I'm Randy McLaggen, this is Nathan Robbins and Derrick Carlyle."

"You're like James' brothers," Rose said, "He talks about you all the time, even more than his real brothers."

"That's because were awesome and his real brothers are ass-holes." Randy said with a smile.

"Guys," James said cautioning, "they're much worse than assholes."

They boys and Rose all laughed.

"So Rosie, how were your first classes?"

"Potter and Lyda interrupted Mum's class, he said he was attacked but Mum realised he was lying and gave him detention. Lyda is so annoying; she had her hand up for every single question. Mum always picked me though."

"That's good," James said, looking at his friends trying to repress their laughter. Sirius got in trouble from Hermione in a first year class. Priceless.

**23rd November 2016**

Sirius was in the boy's bathroom emptying his book-bag into the sink Mina was casually leaning against the side of the urinals commenting on how much boys bathrooms smell. All the boys that came in backed out slowly.

"You think it was James who put the milk in your bag?"

"Yeah," Sirius said, "I know it was."

Sirius handed her another milk-soaked book to which she pointed her short Acacia wand and cast '_Evanesco' _to clean it up.

"We make such a good team!" Mina exclaimed setting the last book on the bench and picking up a soaked quill. "_Evanesco"_ she said and watched the milk vanish. "At least we had a good excuse to get out of potions."

"I like potions," Sirius signed. "It couldn't have been during Charms."

"Or Arithmancy, or transfiguration, or DADA." Mina added. "You're wand work is terrible." Sirius waved her off, then stood and left for class.

**1st March 2017**

Rose was sitting in her potions class waiting for the teacher to arrive. She was so excited for this lesson because her mother had told her what Slughorn was planning to do and had already read ahead so she could answer all the questions. She was sure today she would be able to show everyone how smart she was, even the Potter kids. Scorpius Malfoy and Lyda Zabini always had all the answers and Slughorn was so bloody taken with them, always telling Scorpius he had the skill of his Mother, Father _and _Grandmother. Finally the Professor arrived and the students hushed. He flipped the board around to reveal their ingredients list.

"Scorp!" He shouted, jolly as usual. "What potion are we making?"

Rose read the ingredients faster than Malfoy and her hand shot in the air.

"I think Rose knows, Professor." Scorpius said.

The eyes of the whole room turned on her. _Stupid Potter kid_ Rose thought, missing the hushed 'know-it-all' jeer from the Slytherin side of the room.

"A Hate Potion!" Rose said proudly, Slughorn's eyebrows shot up.

"Heavens no child!" Slughorn exclaimed, "I'm doing a _lecture _on that for my Newt Class today, I wouldn't dream of letting fist years make one, righto, Scorp, what about you?"

"A hair-raising Potion, Sir?"

Rose saw red. Too advance for her was it? She would show them. She hated everything about Scorpius Malfoy, from the way he seemed so humble about having the right answer to the way his stupid blonde hair and pointy face smiled when Slughorn made a big fuss about his correct answer. She was going to make the very best Hair-Raising potion ever.

"Okay, maybe we should have another little competition 'eh kids?" Slughorn pulled a basket from behind his desk; it was overflowing with Honeydukes lollies and chocolates. The whole room exploded with excited chattering.

"I've asked some of my sixth year girls to come here at lunch, and the highest hair wins!" Slughorn yelled over the hubbub. Rose scuttled up to get her ingredients and dashed back to her table, quickly and properly cutting and slicing and mixing everything together. A half hour later she had finished and had her hand straight up in the air.

"That was quick!" Slughorn said to her, he looked in the cauldron at her hair-raising potion. "That's a little bit thick; you didn't let it settle long enough, otherwise pretty good!"

Rose fumed and looked in her cauldron. It wasn't glumly enough to even bother mentioning. It was a hell of a lot better than Page's potion which was the wrong colour and everything. And she was already done! That was important too, it's not like anyone can't make a good potion, but to do it quickly! It was another hour before they got to test their potions, 19 sixth years, lined up and Slughorn handed them a vial each. Rose watched the Ravenclaw who had her vial –Lyn Mattaisan her name was - Rose chose her because she had the second longest hair, to show how much better her potion would be. Mina Thomas had made a beeline for Scorpius; she was a Potter kid too. Her hair was the longest. Rose wasn't happy.

"Alright ladies!" Slughorn clapped his hands and looked at the girls excitedly, "Remember the name on your vial, Kids remember your lovely volunteer. On three! One… Two… THREE!"

Without hesitating Lyn downed her vial, if Rose wasn't more observant she wouldn't have noticed the girl gag at the awful taste. Her hair went fuzzy – fuzzier than her's even. Rose's eyes flicked to Mina Thomas. Her black hair had risen in a perfect sphere about three feet radius. The ends of the hair on top of her head were crushed up against the low ceiling of the dungeon classroom. Rose sulked. It must have been stupid Lyn's fault. She probably doesn't wash her hair. Rose zoned out while Slughorn celebrated Scorpius' 'outstanding potion' and even didn't notice when she was awarded second place and given 50 house points; Followed by Florence, Lyda and Evie. The sixth year girls were quite loud as they left in groups, their hair all fuzzy and ridiculous.


	15. Chapter 15

**27th February 2021**

The dining room of Malfoy manor was decorated in amateur paper decorations and kiddy drawings proclaiming it was Grandma's 65th birthday. A girl around 8 with deep red hair and beautiful green eyes hidden by her thick rimmed glasses was painstakenly hanging up her works of art. A boy not twelve months older than her with shaggy silver blonde hair and his sisters bright green eyes was setting the table. The sun was setting out the window and a tall broad shouldered man with green hair and purple eyes came in with two bottles of wine under his arms and a bouquet of flowers hovering behind him.

"Teddy!" The young boy yelled running to hug his brother. Teddy smiled and put the wine on the table to return the hug.

"hello Lucas, Prae," he kissed the girl on the cheek and stood to look at them.

"where's mum and dad?"

"Mums shopping with Grandma, Dads cooking dinner." Prae answered him, giggling at the look that crossed Teddy's features.

"Mums shopping and Dracos _cooking_?"

"Hey!" All the children snapped their attention around to look at a blonde man of almost fourty carrying in a tray of mostly burnt dinner rolls.

"You're not serving those are you dad?" Teddy asked incredulously, wrinkling his nose when the burnt smell reached his nose.

"No," Draco replied trying to maintain some dignity.

"You're so silly dad!" Lucas cried, grabbing Prae's hand and announcing they were going to wrap presents.

"Merlin, Teddy, how old are you now, 23? I feel old."

Teddy smiled at his guardian.

A red haired man, a little older than Draco walked into the room then. He was thick-built and was holding the hand of another nine year old.

"George," Draco greeted and shook his hand, "And Roxy!"

Roxanne smiled at him "Hello uncle Draco," she said, her thick brown hair shadowing her face and her fringe sitting just above her eyes. She was a spitting image of her mother with her fathers bright blue eyes.

"I just picked her up from Angelina's, Fred's on his way." George said to Draco. Draco smiled at him and invited him to sit down.

He placed a wrapped box on the table and took a seat.

A second, much younger orange-haired man loudly skipped into the room, placing another box on the table and sitting down next to Roxy. She greeted him with a hug and began telling him about a book their mother got her.

A man and woman then entered the room, the woman with white hair and the dark skinned man with her smiling and going to greet Draco immediately.

"Aunt Luna!" Teddy went to greet the woman while her husband caught up with Draco, the Zabini's had moved out of the manor two years ago now. An older woman, Llaria Zabini followed them in moments later.

"Mum!" Blaise greeted his mother happily followed by Luna who got a kiss to each cheek.

"It's just Sirius and Lorcana were waiting on now." Draco said looking around the room, "Harry and Mother will be back soon."

"Is Mina coming?" Teddy said with a horribly menacing grin. Draco laughed at him.

"Leave them alone Teddy!" Teddy changed his hair to a more natural black and waved Draco's concern away. "Lorcana!" Draco turned to see a young woman with her mothers face and her father's dark hair and eyes walk into the room with a wrapped package under her arm. Her hair was short and she wore simple black robes.

"Where's Sirius?" Draco muttered to himself. Then the long familiar black hair of Mina swayed into the dining room, she excitedly greeted everyone with a huge smile on her face. Sirius walked in after carrying their bags and Narcissa's present.

"Sorry were late Mr. Malfoy," Mina accepted the slight kiss he left on her cheek and turned around to help Sirius.

"Hello Ayah," Sirius signed to him, Draco hugged him in return, Sirius was wearing the midnight blue robes the unspeakables were required to wear. He could see Mina's maroon Aurour robe poking out of their bags.

"Lucas!" Draco looked around the room for his son who's blonde head popped up among the crowd.

"Run Sirius's bags up to his room please," Draco instructed, Sirius handed them over and signed;

"The floral one is Mina's, put it in a guest room for me please?" Lucas nodded straight away and ran off.

"Still _just_ friends then?" Teddy whispered in Sirius' ear, Sirius just rolled his eyes and ignored his older brother.

"How's things in the Department of Mysteries?" Teddy asked, Sirius smiled happily and began to reply when Harry and Lucas came into the room.

Draco watched his wife hug her youngest son and smile at her youngest daughter before looking for her godson and eldest son. Her slight frame moved in a staggering way because of her bum knee and her black cane was by her side.

"Quiet everyone!" Harry called, she cast a notice-me-not charm over the crowd and turned off the lights. Harry moved quickly to stand between Draco, who grabbed her free hand, and Sirius, who touched her shoulder and kissed her cheek.

They heard a light shuffling coming from the hall and Narcissa Malfoy, hair long and grey, she had put on a little weight and her frame was a little stooped walked into the dining room with a look of confusion on her face.

"Harry?" She called, Harry lifted the charm and Draco hit the lights and everyone yelled

"Surprise!"

Narcissa took a step back with her mouth wide and shocked, then her face split in a lovely grin.

"Oh Goodness!" She cried as the crowd surged forwards to wish her a happy birthday. Draco pulled Sirius, Harry and Teddy into the adjoining kitchen to help bring out the food.

"You cooked all this?" Harry said with so much surprise Draco was a little offended. "Sorry love, you did well," Harry smiled her beautiful smile and he brushed the short hair from her face.

Draco waved his wand and five of the dishes rose into the air, Sirius tapped his shoulder and said "can you make sure the mashed potatoes go in front of Mina?" Draco smiled a knowing smile at him which made him blush but he turned and picked up two of the plates.

"Wand work still shoddy?" Teddy asked him with a smile, Sirius poked out his tongue as Teddy lifted eight plates into the air and Harry took the final four.

When the guests noticed the food was being served they all sat down to eat, Draco made a toast to his mother and she smiled broadly.

Once they began to eat, Teddy poked Draco and drew his attention to Sirius, who had the most loving smile on his face as he watched Mina fan-girl over the mashed potatoes.

"They are so getting married," Teddy whispered in his ear. The meal was not bad, but the cake was outstanding (Draco didn't make it) and then they all moved to the sitting room.

Harry was walking around handing out cake, coffee and ice cream while Prae was dragging Narcissa around the room showing off her drawings and decorations.

"Oh Prae, its lovely but you should never draw on the walls like that!" Draco heard his mother exclaim he spun to see that she had indeed drawn a lovely birthday sign on the wall of the manor in crayon.

"Oh dear!" Narcissa said to him, both looking at the large drawing. Draco smiled fondly at his daughter and kept the smile plastered on his face as he looked at his mother.

"Could you have ever imagined a life like this while you were growing up, dragon?" Narcissa looked at the pieces of paper littering the walls and the paper garlands Lucas had made draped across the ceiling.

"Father would have a fit," Draco laughed sadly. Narcissa smiled.

"I wish he could be here," Narcissa said softly, "you know there was always that silly side of him, hidden under all that proper ness but the war and the prison just -"

"It's over now mother," Draco said to her, "I miss him, and what he could have been but he was driven mad and he died and there's no changing that now."

Narcissa followed her sons gaze to where Sirius and Harry were talking in sign, Harry's cane rested against her chair and Sirius was only half paying attention to his mother, the other half was on Mina, who was playing with Roxy, Prae and Lucas.

"Such a shame Scorp, Lysander and Lyda couldn't be here." Narcissa said, she sighed and took another sip of champagne and smiled at Draco.

"Happy birthday Mum," Draco said, he started whilst Narcissa gave him an odd look. He had never called her 'Mum' before.

"Thank you, Dragon."

Rose looked carefully at her collection of potions. The Hate potion she had brewed back in first year was first, then the polyjuice she brewed in second year - like her mother- there were exploding potions, and poisons and draughts of pain. Anything they told her was too dangerous or too complex or too hard.

But she didn't know if they worked.

She grabbed the vial of death-cap draught. She so badly needed to know she had it right. It killed someone slowly, but a bezoar would take care of it, no worse than that time her dad was poisoned at school. Malfoy never got in trouble for that.

She could return the favor.

He wouldn't DIE - there would be people there to help him...

Rose pocketed the vial.

Harry yawned and stretched in bed, she upset Draco but didn't care. "Last night was wonderful, it's so wonderful to see everyone," she smiled at her husband.

"Shame the kids couldn't come," Draco muttered sleepily.

"James-" Harry muttered. Draco looked at her.

"There's nothing we can do, love," he said. "He's a grown man, and an Aurour now too - Mina was telling me they were in the same class."

"Mmm," Harry sighed, "I miss him terribly," she said.

"Me too," Draco stroked her hair back.

"I'm worried, love," Harry flipped over in bed, "that prophecy-"

It doesn't exist anymore-"

"We haven't seen Lyda for ages," Harry began, "and she never shares her visions, not since Olivia died."

"Darling its noting to worry-"

"He's working on that archway." Harry stated, "he goes near it and studies it and sends things through it. I don't like it."

"Neither but he's a big boy, nothing will happen to him."

"Mina's lovely," Harry flopped to her side. "Isn't she lovely?"

Draco smiled at his wife, "are you planning grandchildren dear?"

The smile Harry gave him was answer enough. She stretched again. "I'm just so happy, working with George is wonderful, I don't know why I thought the Aurors were ever a good idea, and you're perfect," Harry smiled at him.

"It's wonderful."

They got dressed and went down for breakfast, Sirius was talking with Narcissa, a pot of tea sitting between them, Harry grabbed two cups and her and Draco joined them.

Teddy woke up to the sun shining in his eyes, he waved his hand to shut the curtains properly and pressed his hands into his temples as a monstrous headache bloomed across his forehead. He felt a weight on his feet and looked at the end of the bed. Mina was sprawled across the bed, her hair stretching over the forest green blankets. Her nose was crinkled an empty bottle of wine resting next to her.

Teddy reached in his drawer and pulled out a hangover potion, he downed it.

The disgusting taste in his mouth and the headache left while his memories of last night got clearer.

Sirius had fallen asleep on the lounge with Prae laying across his lap so Mina and Teddy took their drinking upstairs. They laughed and smiled and flirted -oh god- Teddy shook his head. He couldn't go after this girl, his brother was in love with her.

He shook her shoulder and she woke up smiling at him.

"Hello Teddy," Mina smiled at the black haired man before her and gracefully rolled off the bed. She stood and stretched and straightened her robes before announcing she was hungry and headed downstairs.

Teddy smiled after her then stopped himself.

_Bad Teddy._

They lounged about until two in the afternoon then the clean up was in order, Draco had no luck getting the Crayon off the wall with magic, or by scrubbing, Narcissa needed to find Prae and convince her it couldn't stay their forever so whatever magic her eight year old self had done could be removed.

The drawings all disappeared into Grandmas rooms and all the washing seemed to just disappear.

Finally they had the place clean and Teddy headed back to his room.

He lounged back on his bed and cracked open his latest novel but not two chapters later he heard a bang, like an angry door slam.

Teddy poked his head out in the hall to see Mina coming around the corner, bags in hand tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Hey!" Teddy darted into the hall and grabbed her arm, "you ok?"

"You're brother's a twat," she said bluntly and made to pull away, he held her tighter.

"Which one?" Teddy asked with a silly grin, she didn't even pretend to smile, which meant she was hurting bad.

"I'm going, tell your parents I'm sorry I couldn't stay but-" she wiped at her eyes furiously, "never mind."

She sped off down the hall. Teddy heard a clatter at the other end of the hall and Sirius appeared there, a lost look on his face.

"I think you blew this one, bro." Teddy said. Sirius' jaw hardened. He nodded once turned around and left.

He retreated back into his room and back to his book, not a second after he'd gotten comfortable and found his place did his bedroom door band open again.

"I need you to watch Lucas and Prae," it was Harry. She was unusually white and looked as though she'd been crying.

"What's wrong?" Teddy stood and ran to his mother, her bottom lip shook.

"Scorp's at st. Mungos, your father and I are leaving now, could you tell Sirius what's happened?" She wiped her eyes and leant on her cane a little harder, "I'll tell you a s soon as we know what's going on."

Teddy just nodded as Draco showed up at his door, he grabbed Harry's waist and helped her to quickly move towards the floo.


	16. Chapter 16

**29th February 2021**

Draco was holding Harry's hand who was holding his hand in a death grip.

"Mrs and Mr. Malfoy," a man in the aqua robes of the healers came out with a grim expression on his face. "Scorpius is in a stable condition," he stopped and looked up when Professor McGonagall walked into the room. Harry waved at him to continue.

"We believe he's been poisoned, but we don't know what with, whilst whatever's done this has acted like a poison, the bezoar we gave him and the antidotes we tried aren't working."

"So like a poorly made poison?" Draco asked shakily.

"Exactly, you can come see him now," the man led the parents and headmistress into the hospital room, Scorpius was the only full bed. His shoulder length blond hair sprayed against the pillow, his silver eyes closed. He was breathing heavily but looked peaceful.

Harry slipped her hand into his.

"He's only fifteen, who would do this?" Harry looked up at Draco through her fringe and back at their son.

"What's going to be done about this, professor?" Draco stood and faced McGonagall, she was a tall woman but he was even taller.

"My sincerest regrets, Mr. Malfoy, we, I and the governors are assuming this is some kind of prank, I don't know where or how they've manage to get their hands on that potion but be assured the school will be thoroughly searched."

"I want the poison, I'll make my own antidote." Draco demanded, "This is serious."

_**HOGWARTS STUDENT POISONED**_

_Fifteen year old Scorpius Malfoy, oldest son of war hero Harriet Potter and Draco Malfoy is currently in a coma in St. Mungos after reportedly being poisoned by a poorly made Death-cap Draught._

_Headmistress McGonagall states that whichever student found responsible for this tasteless prank will be expelled._

_Mr. and Mrs Malfoy were too distraught to give a comment. __It is currently unknown as to if Scorpius will be completely unharmed or if he will even wake up at all, and currently a large portion of the ministry, the Aurour department, the experimental magic department and even the unspeakables are working around the clock to make sure the young boy pulls through - including half brother and unspeakable Sirius Potter and Mrs. Potter's godson, Teddy Lupin, as well as M. Malfoy himself._

_For more about the Potter Family turn to page three, for a statement from Professor Minerva McGonagall, headmistress of Hogwarts, Order of Merlin First Class, turn to page nine and for Ministry approved poisons information and laws, turn to page seventeen._

_'_Poorly made' death-cap draught.

Poorly made.

_**Poorly**__._

Rose set the newspaper down with a controlled calm that seemed dangerous. She left her breakfast and went up to her common room, grabbed her potions kit, shrunk it and went to see her mother.

"I want to go home," she whined to her mother who was marking history essays.

"I don't think you can, love," Hermione looked up, brushing her shoulder length hair behind her ear.

"They're searching the students this weekend because of the Potter boy," her mother smiled.

"My things will still be here," Rose pointed out, "please, The Zabini girls been glaring at me again, its unnerving."

Hermione snorted.

"Alright then, go through the floo in my office if you want, and don't pay mind to that girl, her fathers no better than Malfoy and her mothers a lunatic."

Rose kissed her mother's cheek and went to the floo.

"Sunny hill!" Rose cried, thrusting the powder into the fire and stepping into the whirling emerald flames.

Sunny hill was just that, a sunny hill, in a muggle town. Their house was warded against the muggles but full of annoying muggle contraptions her mother insisted on having. The muggles at the school were always nasty to her and she always had to hide how special she was. The house itself was brick, only three bedrooms, two lounge rooms one bathroom and a kitchen, the yard wasn't big and it was on top of a hill smack bang in the middle of a twisting housing estate. Rose always used the floo when she could.

"Is Hugo coming home?" Rose didn't bother greeting her father when she walked in the door of the lounge room. She just shook her head.

He grunted and continued watching the telly.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" Ronald was a senior Aurour at the ministry but hardly went into the office. When he was needed he was called in by Paolo Biancardi, who made Head Aurour this year.

Paolo Bancardi's son was Sirius Potter'rooms mate while they were at school.

Rose ignored her father and went upstairs, pulling her potions kit out and re-sizing it she pulled other large potions text out from under her bed and flipped to the page with the Death-cap Drought It took two days to brew but had only the simplest of ingredients - the hard part was the timing and temperature and stirring movements.

She set up the cauldron and prepared her ingredients. Stirring and adding and adjusting the temperature. She was sweating and had worried her bottom lip to the point of it bleeding by the time the first section was complete.

She put the statis charm over the cauldron and went to clean herself up.

Her father was no longer in the house, he must have been called into the ministry and it was late before either of her parents came home.

"Where have you been?" Rose whined at them, Ron flopped on the lounge and Hermione headed for the kitchen.

"They're searching the school for the kid that poisoned Potter's son." Ron said, "I was called in to help, and your mother needed to be there too." Ron stretched out, "Damn kid playing jokes, couldn't even do the world a favor and gotten it right."

Rose kept her face blank, no matter how much the off hand comment hurt. He always said things like that, just casually and unknowingly pointing out how average she was, no matter how hard she tried.

"Goodnight dad," Rose said without facing him. Before school he was always telling her how smart and special and _better_ she was. Now it was nothing but pointing out all her shortcomings. She'll show him she can get that draught right, in fact, he just wrote his own name on the bottle.

Rose took an empty vial from her box and slipped a ribbon with a tag around the neck of the bottle.

_for dad_ she wrote, as neat as she could.

Then she grabbed her school bag from the corner of the room and pulled out her homework planner. She put it on the bed roughly, and turned to grab her quills and ink but took a double take when fifteen or so brightly colored flyers spilled across the quilt.

_Become a Department of Mysteries Unspeakable - So confidential not even they know what they're doing!_

_So you want to defeat a Dark Lord? The Aurour Department Needs you!_

_If you love animals, the department for the control of magical creatures needs trainers and handlers!_

_Nothing like Travel! Apply now for early leave in school to travel the world hunting and training Dragons._

_There's nothing more rewarding than a career in teaching!_

_Department of Magical Law Enforcement Jobs more details inside._

_Journalism and Photography Careers at The Daily Prophet!_

Rose read the headlines of a fraction of the job flyers. None of it seemed... outstanding enough for her.

Aurour would be prestigious, of course, but like her father said, its all luck, the cases you get.

An Unspeakable, well they get no credit for their job now do they. She wanted to be great, like, well like Harry Potter.

Harry Potter never used his fame though, and now, Harriet Potter uses hers even less, and her power. James even had gone off on long-winded rants about how supremely powerful his mother was. She just did nothing with it though - She made jokes with Uncle George.

So what did Rose want to be? As powerful and famous as Harry Potter, as loved as Gilderoy Lockheart, as well known as...

Voldemort?

Everyone knew his name, but she was too pure, good, light to use dark arts.

**HP**

Harry limped into the Aurour office, looking for Paolo, the recently appointed Head Aurour. His performance must have picked up significantly since she left for that appointment to be made. Paolo took only a moment to recognize Harry and she got a sick feeling in her stomach at the leer that followed.

"Potter," Biancardi purred to her, Harry rolled her eyes and adjusted the grip on her cane so he could clearly see the wedding ring on her left hand.

"It's Malfoy now, Paolo," Harry took a step to the side to let another Aurour through. "I want to know who's tried to poison my son."

Paolo sneered. "Its being handled, Potter-"

"Mrs Malfoy!" Harriet turned to face the young dark skinned girl.

"Mina," Harry said.

"I've taken Scorp's case," She said, "The whole schools been searched and while its turned up a number of... flaws in the way the school is run we found nothing about who might have done it. I made sure the teachers kept all the students at school, it was a huge job, I've been questioning kids all morning but I'm starting to doubt that it was a prank more and more."

Paolo cleared his throat, glaring angrily at Mina.

"Girl," He hissed, "if you want to stay in this job-"

Harry put a hand between them, she stood up to her not-so-impressive full height and dragged the cane behind her out of sight.

"Paolo," Harry glared, "firstly, both men _and_ women make excellent Aurours, and you will not address your employees as g_irl_ she put the same snarky emphasis on the word as he had, "Or _boy_,"

_'Just like Uncle Vernon,'_ Harry thought. "Is that clear?"

"You have _no _place here Potter, nor do you have the authority to be privy to such inf-"

"Biancardi, you're speaking to Harry _fucking_ Potter!" Mina stepped between them, "You can show some respect for the youngest man to ever become Head Aurour after he won a _fucking _war!"

Harry was taken aback by Mina's outburst, and by her uncharacteristic foul language, but greatful for it none the less.

"Mrs Malfoy," Mina addressed her as politely as any Aurour was expected to treat a visitor in their wing, "Come with me and I can discuss your son's case."

"How is he doing?" Mina asked when she closed the door, Harry took a seat behind the paper bomb on the desk. Looking around the tiny office there was paper on the desk, floor and walls, there were broken bits and pieces on every surface available.

"We have very little to go off, currently I'm trying to scare the kids into talking, I'm going in tomorrow to talk to Scorp's friends and housemates see what rivalries are going on there.

Harry nodded, "Thank you Mina," She sighed. "Scorps not awake yet, but hes not getting worse." Mina nodded.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked suddenly, "Teddy told me he saw you crying when you left the other day?"

Mina waved it off dismissively, "It was just a row between Sirius and I," She smiled, "Nothing to worry about. You should go home, Mrs Malfoy." Mina smiled again. "No offense but you look tired and a little dirty."

Harry smiled at the girl.

"I'll keep you updated." Mina swept her from the room and shut the door behind her.

She leaned against the door and swept aside the statement from the Arithmancy Professor and Poppy Pomfrey to see a dark-framed photograph of a dark haired Green-eyed young man. A handsome young man who was using his hands to sign "You smell funny." at her.

She re-covered the moving, smiling, beautiful photograph and went over her notes again, then sat down to write out her questions for the interrogation tomorrow.

Mina went to the Headmistress's office direct from the Ministry, when she stepped out of the floo Minerva McGonagall, white hair in a thick braid down her back, as thin and regal as ever, greeted her.

"I've given you a classroom on the sixth floor, ward it how you will and I've left Miss Weasley here to fetch the students for you."

"Thank you, Professor."

"I'm Mina," Mina smiled at the young girl, not any older than Scorpius with thick orange hair and brown eyes.

"Rose Weasley," She said, lightly taking the hand offered and shaking it. Mina turned and left the office, the Gryffindor Prefect led her to her classroom and she waved her wand to push the tables aside. She left the teachers desk where it was and pulled one of the chairs in front of it.

"_Protego Totalum_" Mina whispered casting the spell over the room.

"_Mufflato_" She added for good measure.

"Ok now, first off, can you fetch me Ferran Daughtery and Florence Church?" Mina asked the Prefect. The girl nodded and stomped out of the room.

Mina pulled out her quill and ink and spelled it to write as she spoke, placing the tip on the parchment and pulling her list of questions from her pocket.

The orange-haired girl came back with the two students and left quietly afterwards.

"Hello there guys!" Mina smiled at Ferran and Florence, Ferran was a willowy dark haired girl while Florence was a tanned skinned brown haired incredibly handsome boy.

"Mina!" Ferran said, they both sat down and Mina smiled at them.

"Scorps doing okay," She said first, "You guys were there when it happened?"

They both nodded, Mina motioned that they should speak. Ferran began;

"We were in class," She said, "And Scorp said he felt sick, we told him it was probably that he was hungry because he didn't eat that day and he nodded, not five minuets later he grabbed Florence's arm and made this choking sound."

Ferran looked at Florance, who gave a little smile and continued.

"It was really gross then, the whites of his eyes went like blood and his pupils dilated all the way out, and we could see his veins in his neck get really really dark then this black tar sort of stuff came out of his mouth."

"The professor pulled us away and called for the nurse." Ferran said then, "Madame Pomfrey had a bezoar with her and stuffed it in his mouth and he seemed to get better then.

"Rose was happy about that," Florance said suddenly.

"What?" Ferran asked.

"She looked so relieved and happy when he started getting better."

"Why is that odd?" Mina asked.

"They don't get along, like at all."

"There's a lot of baggage there too with James and everything." Ferran said. Mina nodded and motioned for them to continue.

"Well he began to get heaps better and he sat up and looked around, then just..." Ferran stopped at a loss for words.

"Fainted?" Florence supplied, the both frowned. "Collapsed." Florence said again. "He sort of crumpled in on himself and just collapsed."

All three turned around as the door banged open.

"Thomas!" If she didn't know better she would say this man was Sirius. She hadn't seen James since school despite being in the same year for their Aurour training, his hair was cut jar head, his eyes the same color as Ron Weasley's he wore a cocky smile on his face as he handed her a letter.

She opened the paper blowing some hair from her face and read;

_Dear Miss Mina Thomas,_

_Due to your emotional attachment to the Malfoy-Potter family, and your close relationship with the elder brother of Scorpius Malfoy, you are, henceforth, removed from his case._

_Reference No. 2377657_

_Case No. 1672_

_Please, take no shame in allowing personal relationships to interfere with your work, this touchy and emotional case need not be your responsibility._

_Sincerely;_

_Paolo Biancardi, Head Aurour_

"This _touchy and emotional_ case?" Mina stood up and looked James straight in the eye.

"I'm having _no_ trouble on this case!"

The man snorted at her, "sure," He said, "Anyway, I get your case."

"You're his _brother_ for christ sake!" Mina swore. "This is rubbish." She snatched the letter and stormed from the room.

"Come see me in my office tomorrow, Potter!" She yelled, heading straight for the ministry.

* * *

><p>"Give up your little PMS driven bid to keep your first case."<p>

Mina narrowed her eyes at the man and handed her the huge file she had with all the re-organised information. Her office had never been so neat.

Jame strolled in and leant against the desk. He glanced at the photograph of Sirius which was still telling her she looked funny and snorted.

"Still tragically in love with my brother then."

"This isn't about my abilty to handle this case, and you know that. Please James, just this _once_ do a good job for your brother? For your mother."

He just glared at her. "Harry Potter is my _father_," James picked up the missive file. "And Scorpius Malfoy is my _half_ brother." James glared at the photo of his twin. "And _none_ of them are my family."

"One thing." Mina said choosing to ignore his sorry little speech. "Investigate Rose Weasley," She told him, "There's something there, I'm sure of it."

"Rosie is a good girl," James said, turning on his heel and leaving.

Mina flopped back in her chair.

"I should write to Mr. and Mrs Malfoy about this," She whispered aloud, pulling a sheet of parchment and a quill in front of her. "Emotional attachment my arse."

**1st March 2021**

_Alihotsy Draught_ Rose was very carefully writing the name on the tag and adding the potion to her supplies. It was her favourite so far, extremely difficult and with such volatile ingredients, rare ingredients. It caused Hysteria, extreme emotions that progressed to the point of madness. Where the constant never ending stress of always having the most hysteric emotions would drive the drinker mad.


	17. Chapter 17

**_29th July 2020_**

_"MUM!" Harry jumped violently when she was bowled over by her almost sixteen year old son. "MUM!" He was shaking with excitement and she could make out his Hogwarts letter._

_"Scorpius!" Narcissa and Harry had been talking, and Narcissa sat in her chair with a horrified expression on her face._

_"Did you just tackle your crippled mother?"_

_Scorpius burst out laughing while Harry brandished her cane claiming to not be a cripple._

_Narcissa helped Harriet to her feet while Scorp jumped up off the ground._

_"I made quiddich captain!" Scorp shouted delightedly, AND PREFECT!" He added with a scream and began to jump up and down. Harry and Narcissa both squealed at the same time, being a little silly due to his enthusiasm._

_"I'm so proud of you!" Harry cried hugging her son while Narcissa applauded him._

_"Have you told your father?" Harry said, "Oh come on," Harry ran as best she could to find Draco, dragging Scorpius by the arm behind her._

_Draco's face didn't change when he was told the news._

_"Oh. Is that all?" He asked with little enthusiasm. Scorpius gave him a half hearted glare._

_"Sure, Prefect and Quiddich Captain, but its not like you rescued a kitten or something."_

_"Who rescued a kitten, can I have a kitten, please, oh please, daddy!"_

_Prae slid from between some huge shelves in the manor library, the seven year old plonking herself on her father's lap._

_"No dear, I was just teasing Scorpius. He just got Prefect and Quiddich Captain."_

_Prae smiled and Scorpius smiled back at her, he heard the immense pride in his Dads voice when he told his sister his accomplishments, that and the teasing meant more than any spectacle Draco could have made._

_"I'm so proud of you," Mum hugged him again and Dad nodded his agreement._

_"Well, he's the smartest wizard ever and he's the best chaser Hogwarts has ever had." Prae said matter-of-factly. Scorpius blushed a little. "He will get head boy next year too, I bet!" Prae finished off._

_Harry looked at her son fondly, then the whites of his eyes went blood red and the blacks of his pupils filled the green. Horrible black poisonous veins crept up his neck and tar poured from his open mouth._

_"Harry!" Draco yelled as Scorpius fell on the ground, the black tar ate away at his skin where it touched and the floor. Prae tried to brush it away but she pulled back and screamed as it ate the flesh of her hands._

_Prae cried and pulled her fleshless hands away and Harry dived to catch the thing she dropped._

_A little boy with green eyes and messy black hair. Her fingers brushed his arm as he fell past._

_"Daddy help!" The boy cried, a voice that hadn't bee heard for eighteen years._

_The collar around his neck and the lead it was on snapped tight, hanging the little boy. Lucius Malfoy was smiling from under his Death Eater hood. The face contorted, and changed and a face so familiar which Harry hadn't seen for six years, with the same hair and face as Sirius but with those Weasley-blue eyes staring at him with cold hatred._

_"Harry!" James screamed at her, "Harry, Harry wake up!"_

Harry woke with a sharp cry of pain and was pulled against Draco's chest. She was shaking so severely she couldn't breathe.

"Here, love," Harry felt a cold vial be pressed against her lips and she swallowed all of it.

"Calming draught," Draco told her, he stroked her short hair while she cried.

"Remember the day Scorp got his badges?" Harry asked her husband, a proud smile instantly crossed Draco's features.

"It started off that, that memory then Scorp was poisoned and Prae lost her hands and Sirius and Lucius then James was there.

_"_Its not real love," Draco summoned another, familiar purple vial. It was pushed against Harry's lips and she drank without question.

"Dreamless sleep," Harry said, Draco held her close and stroked her hair as she fell asleep.

She smiled up at him, and he lightly kissed the tip of her nose.

"Goodnight, love." He whispered.

**HP**

"The power of love." Rose whispered. She held up the little vial of Amortentia.

"One drop." She put a single drop in the glass and swirled the liquid around.

"There's nothing more pure than love." Rose whispered.

**4th March 2021**

"Suicide?" Harry was white, she swayed where she stood.

"Sorry Potter," Biancardi patted her shoulder. "The available evidence points to a suicide, hes tried to make this potion and tried to kill himself. Hopefully he recovers and can get the help he obviously needs."

Draco held her waist.

"He wouldn't?" Harriet turned to her husband and just stared at his white face. Draco frowned, shaking his head.

"That can't be right," He told Biancardi, frown still plastered on his face. The aurour shrugged.

"Its what all the parents say, my kid is happy, they say-"

"No," Draco cut off the other man, "He didn't try to kill himself because Scorpius is too good at potions to have gotten it wrong. He didn't make it."

Biancardi scoffed at him.

* * *

><p>Teddy ignored the women who huddled their children away from him and the looks he got in the street, because his father was a werewolf. He had just heard the final judging on Scorp's case.<p>

Attempted Suicide.

The words were like a stab to the heart, each.

He pushed the door open and went inside the warm pub. He pulled a stool out at the bar and flopped into it.

"Howdy stranger." Mina was glassy eyed and had tear tracks running down her cheeks. she took another long swig of whatever she was drinking and bashed the empty glass against the bar.

"One!" she shouted to the barman.

"Two!" Teddy said.

"'s not right, Ted." she slurred. "Scorp wouldn' do that to himself." she giggled. "Scorp woulda got that potion right!"

Teddy almost laughed. "Dad said the same thing."

"I don't believe it, he's missed somethin'," Mina swirled around on her bar stool.

"We'll see what he says when he gets better." Was all Teddy could offer. She nodded vigorously.

"Something to drink to; lil' Scorp getting better!" She clinked her glass against the salt shaker on the bar and sculled half of it.

"Slow down Mina," Teddy told her. She shook her head.

"Hows Sirius?" She asked, looking quite sad.

"He misses you," Teddy told her, "He's gone very quiet without you around."

"He's always quiet" She pointed out with a cheeky smile. He just gave her a look. "Sorry," She said meekly, "'s not funny. I told him I love him," Mina confessed, "I've always wanted a family of my own."

She stood and dragged Teddy over to a booth.

"I told him I loved him and have loved him since the day we met." She sniffled a bit and Teddy offered her his handkerchief. "I'm just so ready to be loved an' he just wasn't ever going to make his move." She shrugged. "Turns out no one else wants me." Teddy was startled when she started crying and he slid into the booth next to her, giving her a hug.

"Uh." He looked up at a gangling teenage boy with horrendous amounts of acne and bright orange hair. "You guys want anything else?"

Teddy shook his head but Mina said. "Two Fire whiskeys!"

They continued talking well into the night, they continued drinking well into the night until eventually the barman kicked them out.

"We should go home!" Teddy yelled into the street, Mina clung to his side and he carelessly let his hair flick between colors.

"You're so cool Teddy!" Mina said to him.

"Hey, look!" Teddy dragged her into the foyer of a three star hotel.

"You two want a room?" The witch behind the desk asked them in a very bored manor.

Teddy nodded. "I have," he emptied his pockets onto the table, "ten Galleons, four sickles, 12 knuts." He counted the coins quickly. "A mentos and an expired coupon for professional robe cleaning."

The witch looked annoyed, but counted out six of the sickles and three of the knuts and handed them a key.

"Thank-you, kind, kind madame!" Teddy cried, pushing the rest of his money to her. she cheered up a bit more at the big tip and waved them goodbye as the stumbled to their room.

There was little in the room, a roaring fire and double bed. Mina stripped off her clothes so she was in her knickers and shirt and Teddy did the same. (but he wore man-knickers) they flopped onto bed and Teddy was pleasantly surprised when the young woman curled up against him.

"I just want someone to love me back," She whispered as she dozed off.

"Goodnight," Teddy whispered and stroked her hair before dozing off himself.

**23rd May 2021**

Teddy was pacing. He was in the waiting room at St. Mungos with Mum and Dad, they had just gotten news that Scorpius has woken up.

"Mr. Malfoy?" The healer came into the small room where Sirius, Teddy, Harry and Draco all waited. Draco darted forwards.

"We have both good news and bad," The Healer said, "He's awake, and alright, a little shaky and weak due to the long period of unconsciousness." The door bashed open and Paolo Biancardi and James walked through.

"The bad news is that he needs to be escorted to the Healer Snider's Hospital of the Mind."

"What?" Draco asked. Paolo stepped forwards.

"All wizards and witches that feel the need to resort to suicide must have intensive 24/7 care," He explained, "and the poor boy is so confused as it is."

"Can I see him?" Harry pleaded, "Please?"

"No, I can't allow that Potter." Paolo said, he turned on his heel, James following quickly, the Healer leaving last.

"He's ok," Teddy said, "That's something."

**24th May 2021**

"Truth," Rose place the vial of truth potion next to Dad's poison, she shut the lid gently and slid the big box under her bed. She was getting so good at her potions.

**3rd June 2021**

Teddy was pacing, he was in the living room of his flat at home waiting for Mina to show up. She refused to talk to Sirius, but they got on so well he wasn't going to pass this friendship up, although, he knew he had feelings for her, feelings deeper than friendship. It wasn't fair, Sirius loves her and Teddy knows that, but she's not going to wait for him to show it anymore, and Teddy knows he can make her so happy.

It was infuriating. The fireplace flared with the green glow of floo powder and it made Teddy jump a little bit. Mina stepped through smiling her usual beautiful smile.

"Hey Teddy, how are you?"

"I'm good," he said, telling her about work and knowing that her next question will be "How's Sirius?"

"There's something eternally righteous about light magic!" James Potter looked over the crowd of school kids and young adults. "Imagine using a magic so pure it makes you feel good about yourself and this power we have!" The crowd were all smiling and cheering on the son of the war hero.

"Now, one thing that's plagued me," James's voice dropped. "There are people who would use dark magic, our own Aurour department use unforgivables all of the time and what we really need is a place to call our own, larger prisons and more light wizards, truly light wizards.

"Not a place of hiding but our own borders and laws and lands, a country, for wizards where your children can play Quiddich in the backyard and you don't need to worry about your neighbor seeing the pet owl or kneazle." The crowd gave a mighty cheer. It was a warm day in the three broomsticks and the Hogsmead visit students and the pub goers had stopped to watch _the_ James Potter say his bit.

"Now, we need a leader who will search for this piece of world for us, in a peaceful way, and a righteous way and a way that's not dark and inhumane." James smiled. "We need a Lady's touch in this matter, we are powerful and should be respected by the muggles, not hiding from them and standing on eggshells around them.

"To be muggle born should be an honor and to be a wizard or a witch should be a prized talent, a gift and our combined magic should only be used for good. There are forces that would stop us!" James lifted his glass and took another swig to the cheers of the crowd, "There are dark wizards, and muggles and even wizards that are just not light enough to be pure of heart like all wizards and wiches should be!"

"Now tell me ladies and gentlemen," James looked over the hushed crowd. "Will you raise your wand with me," James raised his wand with the tip illuminated, as did the crowd, "And will you stand for all that is light in the world, and all that is good and all the magic that is pure and beautiful?" There was a roar of agreement from the crowd.

"Will you fight against the dark and the shadows that hide us from our part in this world!?" Another huge cheer of agreement followed.

"Will you push back against the dark magic that is destroying and corrupting the magical folk of today, yesterday and tomorrow?"

The whole crowd cheered.

"And will you join me, under the banner of the Lady Of Light?" James roared the last sentence proudly, he pointed his wand at the wall and cast the spell that caused her symbol to shine there bright and burning and pure. A dove flying across a circle that radiated hope and light and power, everything she stood for.

The crowd cheered, students and adults alike surged forwards and they melded together under the symbol.

"To the LADY OF LIGHT!" an old man yelled, the crowed raised their glasses and the whole pub filled with the sound of clinking glasses and celebration.


	18. Chapter 18

**3rd June 2021**

"Professor?" Rose had hung back after class, looking at her Potions Professor with big eyes, the same eyes she used on James.

"I was just wondering," The man looked at her curiously. "Light magic-"

"Stop there dear girl." Slughorn pulled a chair up and sat, indicating she do so to. Rose noticed an odd hourglass on the desk but didn't ask about it. "There have been two times in my past where I've had students ask about dangerous magic and I was lucky only one of them went bad. Dear girl," Slughorn grabbed her hand and patted it. "We teach neutral magic at this school because both Dark and Light magic are as dangerous and addictive as each other."

Slughorn smiled at her.

"Don't get into this, dear, its not worth your life, or your sanity."

Slughorn stood and moved over to the door, opening it and letting her out. She left with her head down.

**13th August 2021**

_WHO IS THE LADY OF LIGHT?_

_It is now the question on the minds of our whole world, James Potter II has been a vital part in her success going all over the country and preaching her goals and desires. There is a huge following for the woman who claims to be a pure as the sun, and that our magic needs to be purified too. But still we do not know who she is._

_"Everything I've said is true," James Potter told the press when questioned. "She's just not ready to be the face of such a wonderful idea."_

_We can only assume the young woman is as humble as she is good._

_But what exactly is it that she wants?_

_"Peace," James Potter said to us, "We've been hiding, but why cant we have our own country?"_

_So, for a purely wizarding country, still hidden, but a vast land where we don't need to hide anymore, and the purification of magic._

_"This is exactly how she described it to me." James Potter said to this reporter with a wide smile._

_"You sacrifice a little, maybe how we can carry three things with two hands, for a constant, divine feeling of happiness. Its how we are meant to use our magic, to be lifted into a world of pure bliss."_

_What is this Light Magic? I hear you ask. We are all well acquainted with the infamous dark branch of magic used by Dark Lords and Death Eaters, but Light is the exact contrast. While Dark Magic will destroy your soul and make your Aura go black, Light will do the opposite._

_Personally, this eternal light and happiness and freedom is enough to make this reporter sincerely say, praise the Lady of Light!_

"I don't like this." Harry set the paper down on the table and absently opened her arms for Prae to sit on her lap, still sleepy.

Draco sat a coffee and an orange juice on the table and sat down himself.

"Harry, I think you should go back to the Aurours." Draco held her hand as he said it. She looked hurt.

"I hated it, why?"

"Whatever this is," Draco indicated the article in the paper, "James is in deep, and he's getting very high up in the ministry."

"With me back, if Paolo steps down I'll get my old position back?" Harry asked.

"I have a sick feeling in my stomach," Draco said, "I've been pulling in contacts from all over the country, the owner of that Hospital owes me a life debt, and I cannot get _anyone_ in to see Scorpius."

They both jumped a little as there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Draco said frowning and standing.

"Mum?" Prae had fallen asleep on Harry's lap and was stirring a little, just waking up. "I miss Scorp." She whispered.

"Me too Hunny," Harry patted her hair as Draco came back into the kitchen with their guest. "Mina?" Harry greeted the distraught looking young woman who simply handed her a letter.

Draco stood behind Harry to read it as well.

_Dear Miss Mina Thomas,_

_The Department of Magical Law enforcement regrets to inform you that due to your fragile nature and pre-disposition to an over-emotional state, you are no longer able to serve the ministry as an Aurour._

_Please note this change in policy is for the best._

_Kind Regaurds Paolo Biancardi, Head Aurour and James Potter_

Harry looked at Mina and then Draco.

"Mina," Draco said, "Fragile nature and -"

"Because I'm a woman." Mina clarified, "I was the only one there and the students have had their training discontinued. I knew you would do something about it Mrs. Malfoy," Mina wiped her eyes before any tears would fall. "I didn't know where else to go, I loved my job."

"Its ok," Harry told the girl, she gently prodded Prae who went to sit on her dad's lap."Draco, I'll be home tonight." Draco nodded as Harry left the kitchen.

"Morning Siri," Harry said as she left, Mina twirled around the same time as Draco, who lifted Prae and snuck from the kitchen his coffee levitating behind him.

"Uh," Mina said. She hadn't seen him since he told her she wasn't worth the trouble and all the feeling she had thought she had buried came back full force. It felt like her heart was trying to rip out of her chest and go to him.

"I," She looked at the floor, "I just needed to speak to Mrs Malfoy, I'll go."

Mina deliberately didn't look at him as she walked past, he grabbed her arm, with enough force to hurt and she almost cried out.

"That's _not_ fair," He signed, "You know I didn't mean what you thought I said."

"Its exactly what you said, Sirius," Mina looked at him. "I told you I loved- loved you, and you told me it would be too hard."

"That's not what I meant-" she glared at him.

"You're trying to protect me, Sirius, you believe you're destined to die and I'll lose you or I'll be killed because you have this vision looming over your head, but have you ever thought that maybe, just _maybe _I'm not a little girl and I can make my own decisions, I'm an aurour-" She paused, shut her eyes, opened them and continued, "Any war that breaks out I will be on the front-lines anyway and I would rather be in _love_ with you and be happy for a short time than spend the rest of my _life_ heartbroken."

She set her jaw and glared at him.

"I'm tired of being told to sit back and let the men do the hard work and take the sacrifices, Sirius. I'm not stupid or incapable and I will not settle for someone who treats me like I am." He went to speak and she shut him up with a glare.

"I told you for years you would _never_ be alone, and you just kept pushing to shoulder this all by yourself."

She shoved past him.

"You're family will always be there for you Sirius, but I'm done being unloved."

She left in a swirl of her red Aurour robes, Sirius sighed and put his head in his hands. He walked to the stools around the bench in the kitchen and flopped into one. Picking up a letter from the counter.

"Her letter of Dismissal," Draco said, Prae was no longer with him. He lent against the bench.

"She's right," Sirius signed, "I love her and I've lost her and shes one hundred percent right." Sirius' hands were shaking so bad Draco could hardly translate.

Draco put a hand on his shoulder, and for the first time since he was thirteen years old, Sirius cried.

_Pain worse than any torture,_ Draco thought, a whole war in his thoughts and his memories.

"What is this?" Harry Potter was making a scene, the whole Aurour Department had turned when the most highly regarded Wizard ever came into their office, her Aura glowing whipping up a small windstorm in the building. The whole place shook, magic crackling in the air.

Paolo Biancardi came to the front of his Aurours, James at his side.

"Why was Mina Thomas dismissed?" Harry roared at the man, he leveled a glare at her.

"She no longer fits the correct requirements for an Aurour, Potter."

"I want my old job back," Harry snarled at him.

"You don't either. Sorry Potter"

"And what, exactly makes us unfit for service, is my resume not impressive enough for you?"

The air was uncomfortably heavy with magic and Harry noticed the other people trying hard to breathe.

"You're too delicate," Paolo said, "You should be with your children at home, not on the frontlines."

Harry punched him in the face. James stepped in front of her, his blue eyes cold and clouded.

"James?" Harry asked, frowning, keeping an eye on the other Aurours. "This is bollocks," Harry said, her wand was still trained on Paolo, who was still on the floor, gingerly touching his black eye.

"I hope you all remember the _women_ who died in war and who fought for this world," Harry shouted, then she swirled and stormed from the ministry.

**HP**

"Honey whats the matter?" Parvati Thomas nee Patail grabbed her grown up daughter's elbow as she tried to push past to her room.

"Sirius," Mina said, needing little explanation.

"Oh, sweetheart," Parvati wiped a tear from the young woman's cheek and hugged her. "I want you to know you did the right thing, sweetheart you've had too many sleepless nights and shed too many tears waiting for him to love you back. He says you're not worth it, well that proves his worth doesn't it?"

She smiled at her mother. "What about that Teddy Lupin fellow? you're quite fond of him?" The smile on her mother's face was so hopeful - Mina knew how much her mother wanted grandchildren - she didn't have the heart to tell her Teddy was just a friend _and _Sirius' brother to boot, she wouldn't hurt him like that.

"Darling!" Dean Thomas came into the room, immediately hugging his daughter when he saw her tears.

"Its Sirius again isn't it?" He stroked her hair, "you made the right choice, honey and it hurts like a bitch now but it will fade over time."

Mina coughed out a laugh and smiled at her dad.

"I'll make tea," Parvati said and hurried off.

"Thanks dad," Mina looked at her father, he had her young, and his parents were a shotgun wedding, they fell in love after they were married but no amount of trying gave them another kid, both of them had always wanted a big family.

"No problem Honey," Dean hugged her a little closer and kissed her forhead.

"I heard about the Aurours too," Dean said. "They will never take away how good you are at what you do," Dean said to her. "Its just a title, you'll always be a little fighter to me, how you were a Slytherin I'll never know."

Mina laughed at that and let herself be dragged into the sitting room where her mother was waiting for tea.

Then the house shook.

"I'll go see what it was," Mina stood and drew her wand.

"_Avada Kedavra" _Mina dropped to the floor when she heard the shout and covered her eyes when the destructive spell shattered the front door.

Mina cast a sheild charm and jumped up and into the house.

"DAD!" Mina shouted, "GET MUM OUT OF HERE!"

Predictably the two Gryffindors came to her side anyway. Dean ran out into the hall only to be hit by a green light, his momentum flinging the corpse into his daughter.

"Dad!" Mina held back her scream and her tears.

"Dean?" Parvati looked at the body of the man she had fallen in love with and ran out into the yard.

"Mum, NO!" Mina tried to grab her but missed, she glanced out into the yard to see her mother dueling a cloaked man and she dashed out after her.

The stranger made a long slicing motion with his wand and blood spurted from Pavarti's neck.

"Mum NO!" Mina ran forward firing spell after spell at the stranger, both legal and illegal. He backed onto the street, a burning hex caught her shoulder but she swung her arm around anyway, firing a cutting hex at the man. He apparated, and she couldn't be sure if she hit him or not.

"Mum, no!" she ran to her mother who was drowning in the blood from the slice across her neck. the old woman lifted her hand to give Mina's cheek the lightest of touches before the light left her eyes.

"Mum, no," Mina hugged the body to her, and cried on her mother's shoulder for the last time.

Sirius was nursing a tall glass of firewhisky and desperately trying to drown his sorrows. Now more than ever he wished he had his voice. He wanted to scream in pain, because he had loved her and he didn't deserve her and she was gone.

"I just wish I hadn't hurt her as much as I did," He told Teddy in sign. Teddy merely shrugged. He was reading a letter from the ministry, it was addressed to Sirius, but an important owl wasn't something he couldn't have handled tonight.

As Teddy read the letter, he became paler and paler, Sirius didn't take notice.

"I have to go, Siri, drink some water before you go to bed or you'll have twice as many problems tomorrow."

Sirius merely flipped him off - one of the only things he could say to anyone - that and hello/goodbye.

Teddy flooed straight to St Mungos, Changing his face and hair and eyes to mimic his mute brother.

"Sirius Potter?" a healer met with him immediately, "After her parents you're the next emergency contact and they've both died in the attack."

Teddy nodded at the man, and let him lead him through the hallway into the emergency ward.

Mina looked happy and sad to see Sirius standing there and as soon as the healer left them alone, Teddy changed to his usual sandy blonde self.

"Oh T-T-Teddy!" Mina said. She had a large gauze wrapped over her shoulder and her face was covered in blood.

"He-he killed my parents, I don't know..."

"Shhhh, Sweetheart, it'll be alright."

Teddy grabbed a nearby damp cloth and cleaned the blood off of her, removing her singlet top and bra and giving her his own tee-shirt, leaving his jacket on. He was careful of her shoulder as he pulled her close and let her cry on him.

"You're not alone, sweetheart," He smoothed her hair down, "My whole family are here for you, it'll be alright."

"Why?" She said quietly.

"We'll find them," Teddy said. "But don't worry about that right now."


	19. Chapter 19

**17th August 2021**

Sirius kept his eyes down as the two coffins were lowered next to each other, there was a woman wailing loudly, the rest of the crowd were quietly sniffling. Mina stood at the head of the two coffins, a white, long stemmed rose in her hand. Teddy hovered behind her.

Sirius had seen the Thomas's so often, he had stayed there for weeks over the summer break. They were important to him. Mina was important to him.

He was not foolhardy enough to know he couldn't have her back, all she wanted was to be loved, and he so dearly wanted to be the person who loved her - but he was destined to die, and maybe after he knows he will not be murdered they can have a relationship.

Perhaps she would be better off with Teddy anyway?

Sirius wiped his eyes on his handkerchief and watched the coffins sink into the hole. The crowd left the burial site and began to walk up the hill, offering their pity and condolences to Mina as they left. Teddy stayed with her, so she wouldn't be alone, and when it was only the three of them, she gracefully threw the rose in after them.

Teddy took her hand and offered her a tissue, which she took and they walked up the hill arm in arm.

Sirius followed at a distance.

**HP**

"I can't deal with this now," Mina pushed the papers away and stood from her place in between Teddy and Lucas at the Malfoy's dining table.

"Don't," Teddy grabbed the papers from her and put them away in their folder.

"I should go h-home," Mina announced, not managing to keep the catch out of her voice.

"Really?" Draco walked over to the young woman and swept her into a hug, "You think we won't insist you stay here?"

Mina smiled through her teary eyes.

"Thank you Mr. Malfoy." She said. Sirius was close to tears himself. and seeing the way Mina _still_ signed along with her words made him miss her, even though she stood here in front of him.

"Would you like to stay with me?" Teddy asked in a quieter voice, "I don't mind if you want to be alone but-"

"Thank you Teddy, I appreciate that."

Sirius watched them leave the kitchen together, he slowly brought his hands up and sloppily signed

_They are so getting married_.

"Feeling sorry for yourself then?" Harry asked him.

Sirius apologized to her.

"If they do get together it will be a miracle, and a good one. You pushed her away when she wanted to be there for you, she loved you Siri and you hurt her."

"I know, Mum."

"Teddy's falling for her, so you need to decide what you want or you'll lose her forever." Harry stood, pulling her cane to her side. "Draco I'm going down to the Thomas's house to get some of Mina's things for her."

Sirius stood too. "I'm coming," He signed, "I know what she would want."

Harry couldn't argue with him, so they left together.

**HP**

Rose looked at the front page of the Prophet.

"Dark Lord rising," She said aloud with bated breath.

"Harriet Potter's furious outburst in the ministry followed by the brutal murder of ex-aurour Mina Thomas' parents Parvati and Dean Thomas have the ministry looking for a link." She said aloud again. Page Potts, a auburn haired freckled girl looked at Rose with an interested expression.

"Do you think they're linked?" She asked, Rose enjoyed the way the girl clung to her every word as if it were fact.

"I would say its just dark arts," Rose said matter-of-factly.

Mason Taylor leaned over Noah Lewis to see her properly.

"That's a very obtuse way to look at things."

Rose rolled her eyes.

"No," She said, "Harry Potter is known to have used some dark spells - as an auror and during the war- and every dark spell you do affects your soul." Rose took a deep breath, "I think you'll find shes losing her mind," Rose shrugged at the disbelieving expressions on the student's faces.

"The person that attacked the Thomas's house was unidentified, except for his cloak, it could have been Potter, or one of her sons, by the look of it," Rose re-scanned the article, "Potter went into the ministry wand a blaze yelling and screaming about Mina Thomas, who was dismissed shortly after."

"I heard from Lucile Sloper- who went to school with Lyda Zabini- yeah, her younger sister Elizabeth that Mina and Sirius have just broke up!" one of the eavesdropping fourth years supplied.

The students looked at each other seriously.

"So that's what dark arts will do to a person?"Noah said, "Maybe this Lady of Light figure had a point?"

**HP**

Later that night was when Rose finally got the chance to have a look for unicorn hair in the groundskeeper's shack. He was taking Moss and Nat - two of her classmates, and Mathias Dill and Lee Tofi into the forest for detention tonight. His dog was gone too. The old gamekeeper would be gone for hours.

And there it was, Rose spotted the shining hair straight away, hanging from the ceiling, she took half the enormous pile and pocketed it.

**6th November 2011**

_Hello Mum and Daddy,_

_Hogwarts is great! Turns out I'm worse than Uncle Seamus at potions! I've melted my cauldron already. But its ok, I have a nice boy who helps me now, hes really good at potions but his wand work is terrible. I tell him together we make a functional wizard!_

_We met on the train, his name is Sirius Potter, and hes kind of the reason I'm writing. He can't talk, at all and he told me -well wrote, actually- that he can't speak because he was tortured at a young age, and it ripped up his vocal chords._

_Its upset me quite a bit, who would torture a three year old? Its so horrible._

_I was hoping you could send me some books, I want to see if theres a spell to help him talk again, he gets so angry and sad when people cant understand him._

_Oh and could you find me a book about sign language, I'm going to try really hard to learn so he can talk to me._

_I really care about him dad, I'm a little scared to tell him, hes my best friend ever and I know we're going to be best friends forever!_

_Thanks Mum and Dad, I love you so much, and the mashed potatoes here are so good! I tried to send you some last week but they ruined the box and may have ended up in the lake._

_Lots of love, I miss you heaps,_

_Mina._

**19th August 2021**

Teddy sighed as he stroked her long black hair. He first thought he was falling in love with the idea, to have a woman he could love and cherish and look after - but no, it was _who_ that woman was that made him so happy.

He _knew_ Sirius had broken her heart, and his own, and he knew that Sirius was too stubborn to change his mind - he would not let himself love her if it meant taking a risk.

But love was about taking risks, his would be risking the relationship they had now, and the one he had with his brother. But it was so easy to love Mina, she was blunt and straightforward and honest, and she let people protect and help her.

Never had she tried to act strong or unfeeling through all this, she took emotions as they came and expected everyone else around her to deal with her highs and lows the same way she dealt with theirs.

Despite everything that's happening in her life right now she still finds time to play with Lucas and Prae, and still has time to talk and laugh with Teddy, and still talks to Harry and Draco, she helps with the housework and is looking for a new job, and it was this, now, only two days after she had to watch her dead parents be buried, the only comfort she needed was to be held at night as she slept.

Teddy so desperately wished he could caress her and kiss her and be a lover as well as a friend.

But he couldn't, because of her and Sirius, and Sirius and himself, and that right now, she needed a friend, not a lover and he was honored to be that friend.

Teddy looked at her dark skinned face. She had the slightest smile upon her lips as she slept and it was adorable, and beautiful.

**2nd September 2021**

Harry had hardly left the house in the past few weeks, but now George needed a hand at the shop and she was more than happy to give one, so Harry found herself walking down the main street of Diagon Alley today.

Scorp would be starting his seventh year at Hogwarts today had he not been locked away. Neither Draco or Harry had been allowed to see him, and it still nagged at Harry, she was itching to just go break him out.

Harry turned around a bend and caught a glimpse of the towering orange shop. She gained a little spring in her step, sad thoughts aside and walked towards the structure. Then she stopped.

"James Potter For Minister of Magic?"

A poster of her sons cocky face was looking right at her, the curious words in huge carnival style block letters underneath.

The young man in the poster happily pointed out people in the crowd, and waved and winked. Harry just stared at it till she could stare no longer.

"You saw the poster then?" George said to her as way of greeting, Harriet just nodded. "He's got a good chance of winning too," George told her.

"Really?" Harry started stacking different whirring, noisy, ozzing, furry and sharp things onto the shelves.

"Mmmhm," George hummed, "People think this Lady of Light has the right idea, they think James is her voice in the 'mortal realm'."

"Bollocks," Harry snorted. "She's just a witch."

"Yep, and Light magic is useless," George replied.

"How so?" Harry asked.

"You know about Auras?" George asked, "Not Wizard police, but a-u-r-a auras?" George cocked his head to the side, "Blimey Harry you _don't_ know?"

Harry simply shook her head.

"Well then, an Aura is a vibe, of a person, you know how people get an impression of you or you of them? Come here!"

George pulled Harry to the front of the shop and pointed out the window.

"Ok, see that kid? He's a dick, that guy who's chilling there? A creep. That lady there is annoying -Oh hey, that's Cho Chang!"

"Yeah, it is," Harry said. So far what George was saying was Harry's first impression too. "I think I got it," Harry told him as he got a devlish smile on his face as the retired Professor Sprout walked out of a pub. "No need to pass judgement on the innocent."

George's shoulders fell. "Magical Auras are like that for your magic, you can have weak, strong, bright, dim, dark light, and the different colors mean different things."

George waved his wand.

Harry jumped back as George glowed orange.

"I have a strong, orange, bright, neutral Aura." He told Harry, "and see, yours is-" He indicated that Harry should look in a nearby Mirror.

"A little dark there dear," The mirror said, "Someones being bad," Harry looked at her thin frame surrounded by a dark blue light. It was strong, so strong it was hard to see through and bright - twice as big as George's Aura.

"The magic we use affect the color." George told her, "And the strength of our magic will affect the intensity."

"And why does this make Light magic useless?"

"Its the exact opposite to dark magic. It will make your Aura brighter and dimmer. Dark magic draws on your power, the reward comes when you gain more power. Light magic will give away your power, but you get a white, weak aura. It makes you feel brand new, innocence, purity, cleanliness, immaculate and neat. In reality your're boring and stark, fastidious and empty."

Harry finished putting the last few items on the shelf while George went to open the front doors. "So really, Light magic will drain your magic and make you incapable and boring. It's why we use Neutral magic all the time, it's the healthiest type to use." Harry nodded.

"I'm going to break Scorpius out of that place." Harry said quietly. "He didn't try to kill himself and I miss my son."

"I'll help," George said, laying a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Welcome to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!" George screamed at their first customer.


	20. Chapter 20

**2nd September 2021**

"Harry," Draco put his hand on his wife's when she told him her plan to break their son out of the Hospital of the Mind.

"Draco," Harry said back. She stared at him. He couldn't fault her logic or her planning – or the desire to see Scorp again.

"Harry," Draco stared right back at her, the political situation in the Ministry was not in a great place right now. They couldn't afford to lose her. Not again, and Scorp was safe.

"Draco."

That was it, she won. He loved his son too much not to try, and the public wouldn't keep up this nonsense that Harry is a Dark Lord who is trying to kill the Lady of Light.

The Lady of Light was just a faceless bitch – spreading rumors.

"It will be simple. I go in, I get out, they won't even realise he's gone."

"Harry, it might be better if I went."

Harry looked a little confused he gave her a sympathetic look.

"You're Mrs Malfoy, yes, but to everyone you're still Harry Potter – they don't know there's so much money behind that name; and they won't trust you – not that they'll trust me, but they know they're getting the money to take care of Scorp, and they're dealing with true Malfoy's, it won't hurt for them to be afraid."

Harry looked a bit affronted at that. "People are scared of me!" She said, wacking him in the shin with her cane. He saw it coming and took measures to block but the blow still stung a little. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"People are afraid for their life when they deal with you," Draco told her, "They're afraid for their future when they deal with me."

"Can't fault you there," Harry said, "Fine, go tomorrow, and be careful. I'm going to bed."

Draco kissed her cheek and let her go, and then went about making preparations for tomorrow.

**3rd September 2021**

"Bring him home," Harry whispered in his ear, he stood on the threshold of the manor steps, Harry had only just woken up and it was so early the sun was only just beginning to rise, he kissed her back.

"I will."

Draco apparated to the front of Healer Snider's Hospital of the Mind and looked at the utterly run down and unsafe looking building, he walked through the main door into a reception room, the ceiling was two storys high and had a balcony/hallway that gave access to the patient rooms. Behind the receptionist was access to the facilities and mess hall.

"Mr. Malfoy!" The owner and head Healer Darren Snider greeted him merrily, Draco didn't return the man's enthusiasm, just maintained the cool facial expression he so often saw his father wear. His robes were fine, expensive and black; he knew he was intimidating.

"Snider," Draco said, not unkindly. "I'm here to see my son." Snider's eyes went a little wide then he offered Draco a shaky smile.

"Mr. Malfoy, Scorpius is in confined and intensive care, I can't allow him visitors, as you know – I hope you understand?"

"Yes, quite, well, I want to see your facilities and his rooms and Healers if you please, I wish to _know_ my son is in the best of care naturally and if I find your establishment agreeable then perhaps I may help in my own, little, way.

Draco carefully moved his sleeve in a way that he knew the coins in his coin-purse would rattle. The healer looked both scared and excited.

"If you please," Draco gestured with his hand that they should commence this tour immediately. The Mind Healer scrambled for a moment before walking behind the receptionist's desk.

The place was toxic, it was nothing but stark glaring boring washed out colours and set up in a way that obviously meant every patient had no where to hide. The few people he ran into were all unkept, bleeding or had darting eyes and twitching fingers.

One girl was against the wall screaming while three healers tried to get her to be quiet.

Quiet, the whole place was _so_ quiet.

"Everything seems to be adequate, may I see Scorpius' healers personally?"

The man nodded and led him upstairs to a room that was like a teachers lounge.

"Staff accommodations are behind that door," He said once in. "Jaques, Smith, Cooper, Mr. Malfoy would like a word."

The three unremarkable men stood when their names were called and came forwards.

"Well," Draco said harshly, "What's wrong with him?"

They looked caught off guard, and Smith said, "Well nothing, really."

"Why hasn't he been sent home yet?" Draco demanded.

"What Smith meant to say, Mr. Malfoy is that Scorpius seems fine, He's become much less happier as time goes on but nothing too serious, we're still observing him."

"I still don't believe he tried to kill himself." Draco said, "We're just supposed to wait until the horrible atmosphere of this hospital drives him to it?"

"Uh-" Snider tried to interfere, either to help his Healers or defend his hospital but Draco waved him away.

"He's a danger to-"

"Is he doing his schoolwork as my wife requested?"

"Mrs Potter-"

"Malfoy." Draco reminded the man harshly. It no longer mattered which of them were talking.

"Mrs Malfoy's request was unreasonable; the most important thing is that Scorpius-"

"Yes," A nurse stood and came over to the group. "He asks for it, his homework, and is eager to do it, he's happy and healthy, good appetite; his only complaint is that he doesn't know why he's here."

"And you are?" Draco asked the nurse. The woman looked a little frightened but answered.

"Melanie Sharp, Mr. Malfoy, I'm Scorpius' nurse – an attendant of sorts, I make sure he's eating and drinking and getting better."

"It's over," Draco told the room, "I'm done, I'm taking my son home – if he does need this treatment, I will find a suitable hospital and get him proper help, but I think I'll get a second opinion from my family's _trusted _healer."

He motioned for the nurse to lead the way and followed her out of the room, locking the door on the way through.

"Mr. Malfoy," The woman said, "You don't understand, I'm not a healer, I think you should listen to Healer Snider!"

"Shut up and take me to my son." Draco snapped at the woman. She was almost running and finally got to the door they needed. She opened it with a key and let him inside.

"Scorp!" Draco ran forwards and hugged his almost grown-up son to him.

"Thank Merlin you came dad," Scorp laughed and hugged Draco again.

The room was all white, with nothing but a bed and Scorpius' School books.

"Come on, your wand is at home," Draco shrunk the books and put them in a pocket, and with Scorpius on his heels marched from the hospital.

"SCORPIUS!" Harry ran, cane forgotten down the main steps in the manor when her husband and son walked into their home.

"Oh Scorp!" Harry hugged him to her and kissed him and hugged him tighter.

"Mum," Scorpius said in greeting, wrapping his arms around her, he was so happy he was crying.

"I missed you so much, I'm sorry we couldn't have gotten you back sooner the ministry-"

"Its okay Mum," Scorp said, he smiled widely into her shoulder.

"Oh honey," Harry said again, she held him by the shoulders and looked at him for a long moment before hugging him again.

**4th September 2021**

"Ex Death Eater breaks insane son out of hospital?" Harry looked completely unbothered as she put the prophet on the dining room table next to Scorp and Draco.

"They got something right," Draco said, as un-phased as Harry. Scorpius looked up from his breakfast, frowning.

"Did you just call me insane?"

"Honey, you know if there is something wrong, we'll help, there's nothing wrong with needing help-"

"Mum, I'm far too optimistic to have any problems with depression or suicide. I don't know how or why I was poisoned but I didn't do it to myself."

"That's good," Draco glanced at the paper. The photograph was of him bashing open the front door of the hospital – in the foyer.

"You're so taken with that photograph. I thought it was supposed to be a stealth mission." Harry was watching him, he didn't even have the good grace to blush, just picked up his 'action shot' and announced;

"I think we should frame it," He smiled at her, she rolled her eyes.

"I see why you did it how you did," Scorp said, Harry agreed. "Now I can go back to school."

Both parents nodded, "We'll get all the press sorted, then I'll go to McGonagall and see what she can do for you," Draco told him, "And you're staying home for your seventeenth." Draco said. Harry looked at her son and just smiled at him.

**13th September 2021**

Scorpius gently held the watch his father had given him. It was silver with a pearly green face, and it was bulky the band was metal not leather and the hands inside the face were wood splinters. It had no numbers only single little glass gems in their place.

"Thank you," he told them, Prae was sitting on their mother's lap and Draco sat next to her. Lucas was shuffling impatiently in front of the cake.

"We're proud of you honey," Harry said to him, "you're such a good, wonderful, smart and kind young man."

"Thanks mum," Scorpius said, looking at the ground. Draco put a hand on his shoulder so he looked up, "There's one other thing," he said holding out his Hogwarts letter. Scorpius took the familiar thick envelope

_Mr. Scorpius Malfoy_

_Main wing, first door on the right_

_Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire_

And he broke the red seal.

Scorpius was vaguely aware of his grandmother leaning forward, she had gotten him a beautifully made pair of dress robes.

He slid the content of the letter out and a badge fell in his lap.

It was a large green and silver H on the Hogwarts crest.

"How?" Scorpius let the smile split his face and looked up at his grandmother who gave a happy laugh.

"Congradulations Scorpius!" She got up to give him a hug and he thanked her, still looking at his parents with disbelief.

"I thought it they wouldn't even consider me because of the asylum I-"

"When I went to see her about you continuing your studies, she told me she had not appointed a head boy this year, because you had been chosen for it in your fourth year, Scorp, I don't know how she must have know we would get you out of there."

"So she doesn't think I tried to kill myself too?" Scorpius asked. Since he was rescued he was frowned upon for the apparent suicide attempt. Harry shook her head.

"She never did, not for a moment." Scorpius looked at his badge happily.

"You earned that Scorp, don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Scoprius smiled at his father.

"Uughgg!" They turned to Lucas when he massed a strangled noise. "Caaaaaake!"

Scorp rolled his eyes but cut the kid a slice and handed out some to everyone to the room, except Prae who had fallen asleep.

**14th September 2021**

The next morning saw Scorpius up early packing his school trunk again, Draco was taking him to Madame Matkins in the morning and he was flooing to school this afternoon.

"Who's head girl?" Scorp asked his father while a tailor measured him up.

"Lyda," Draco answered, Scorp breathed a sigh of relief.

"I was worried it would be Rose Weasley, god shes a know-it-all pain-in-the-arse."

Draco laughed at his son, "apparently it was really close between those two, but Weasley has a tendancy to argue with-"

"everyone," Scorpius finished for him.

"I was going to say her teachers, but I suppose that covers it."

"They'll be two hours, Mr. Malfoy," Matkins told the two, obviously not sure who to address. Draco gave his thanks and went into Diagon Alley with his son.

"Is mum working?" Scorpius asked Draco nodded, they headed over too the overflowing orange shop.

Inside was chaos, things were whizzing between shelves and spurting confettie and glitter and goo, firecrackers were going off and just about everything was making noise. Plus, the store - while not at its busiest was full of people, all younger children or grandparents or young adults who were still children at heart.

Harry was on the register, her cane was by her side leaning against the bench, she was wearing the bright orange WWW robes like Draco had so often seen her and George wear. She smiled at the two as they came in.

"Hello mum," Scorpius looked around the shop playing no attention to his mother.

"Hello Scorp," Harry said as Draco kissed her on the cheek. Scorpius went to browse the shop and Draco leaned against the cashier bench.

"Been busy?" He asked, waving at George as he strolled past. Harry nodded, "this is the quietest it's been all day." A customer came up to the register, glaring at Draco.

"What?" Draco asked, the woman glared a little harder.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," she said, "not letting him have the help he needs. And putting him amongst normal kids, no less."

Draco glared at the woman. "Yes," he said looking at Scorpius, the woman looked over, George was with him, making the young man eat various lollies which turned different parts of him different colours. They were both laughing - the loudest in the shop.

"Definitely the face of a depressed and suicidal young man." Draco rolled his eyes at the woman.

Harry handed her her bag of things, "And Ms Whoever you are, it would do you well to mind your own business and trust us to take care of our children."

"Its a wonder that James Potter is so pure considering you two." She stopped off, leaving Harry feeling as though she'd been slapped, the woman turned around before she left. "Minister Potter it'll be after today!" She yelled over the din of the shop.

"I'd forgotten about that," Scorpius said, the others nodded.

"It's good, he's obviously doing well." George said quietly. Harry shook her head.

"He'd be a terrible minister, hates politics always has."

"Sirius?" Sirius had come into the shop and made a beeline for the small group.

He waved at everyone and hugged Scorpius.

"I missed you little brother," Sirius signed, "I heard you got head boy, Congratulations."

"Thanks Siri," Scorpius said meekly.

"I've got news, about the selection for minister," Sirius signed then, "James won it," he finished promptly. "But we're not supposed to know yet, but the other thing is, he's acting minister in the name of the Lady of Light."

"What does that mean? Draco asked, never hearing of an acting minister before.

"He answers to her," Scorpius said, "I can't believe they allowed that."

"Esentially he's created a new reigning power in the ministry."

"Like Voldemort did," Harry interrupted, "he was never minister himself but we always knew Pius Thicknesse was reporting straight to him."

Everyone nodded. "This is not good," Sirius signed, "I think James has been put under the imperious curse."

"We can't know that for sure," Scorpius said, "he's our brother, but really, we hardly know him."

"So what now?" Sirius asked, "They force the beliefs of the Lady of Light on us all?" Draco touched Sirius arm gently.

"No," Draco walked over to a poster folded on the counter. "What's this?"

"A propaganda poster some kid stuck on my window."

Draco unfolded the poster, a tall thin fully cloaked woman was standing with her arms outstretched. A symbol that burned like the sun behind her.

_Embrace the purity we were born to have!_

"If its a takeover, his first move as minister will be something dramatic, but relatively safe and good, maybe like making everyone document their Aura?"

"Makes sense," Sirius signed. Scorpius stood thinking.

"We'll talk about this later, I need more potions ingredients," Draco said.

"And I have to pick up my robes and get to school, and quills and parchment, I need more of them."

The two nodded and said their goodbyes, Harry receiving a light kiss on her cheek from her husband. Sirius said his fair well to his mother and uncle then and went back to the DOM.


	21. Chapter 21

Scorpius Flooed back to Hogwarts as Draco set up the wireless to listen to the final decision from the ministry.

"_Good evening ladies and gentlemen, this is Lee Jordan reporting live from inside the Ministry atrium. We have a huge crowd down here today waiting with bated breath to see who will be our Minister of Magic!"_

Draco brought in a tray of tea as Harry came into the drawing room; Prae and Lucas were sitting together reading a book quietly. Harry sat on the couch Draco swung an arm around her and she leaned forward and grabbed her cup of tea.

"_Ok, ladies and gents, we have the current Minister Shacklebolt coming out now, James Potter has just stepped onto the stage." _Lee Paused.

"_Witches and Wizards!" _A new voice rang through the speaker.

"_That's Mr. Taylor, senior assistant to the minister."_ Lee told his listeners.

"_I am very pleased to inform you that the Heads of department and myself have selected Mr. James Potter to be your new Minister for Magic, for the next twelve months and then until a suitable challenge is made!"_

The crowd from the speaker cheered. Harry looked at Draco, both proud and worried; he took her hand and gently ran his thumb over her knuckles.

"_Minister Potter would like a few words."_

_"Good evening, everyone!"_ James excitedly greeted the crowd. _"I have many people to thank for this opportunity to be your Minister of Magic but none more so than My Lady of Light."_ Both Harry and Draco jumped at the roar that came from the wireless. The crowd was going wild. Harry gave Draco a worried glance, his expression mirrored hers.

_"My Lady and My Love is working hard to purify her Aura, she is giving up her magic – the way we use our own to be a pure weapon against the Dark Arts. She isn't ready to bear the weight of the world on her shoulders, so I have elected to appoint myself, as Minister, as her advisor!"_

The crowd cheered, Harry looked at Draco.

"I never expected him to be that forward," She said, Draco shook his head.

"That approach is so juvenile, but she had a lot more support than we thought." Draco brushed Harry's hair from her eyes. "Don't worry about it love." Draco gently kissed his wife's cheek. "Its not for us to worry about it."

"But Lyda's vision," Harry whispered to him, "And whatever is going on, James is in the middle of it."

Draco stroked her cheek.

"Honey," Draco shifted his weight, "They're grown men, if they get pulled into this they can look after-"

"They're our sons!" Harry stood. "And Lucas and Prae and Scorp and Teddy too, I don't want any of my _children_ to have to fight a war like we did."

"The _children_ we _will _keep out of it, but Prae and Lucas and even Scorp still need their parents, Harry, we don't have to fight this time."

"You're telling me to run?" Harry asked her tone dropping to a dangerous level. "To let my kids fight because they're old enough when I could fight for them, and _make_ sure they're all safe," Harry stood, and she wasn't tall but she was powerful and her aura crackled around her, a wind picked up in the room, "and I can't believe that you're telling me to FUCKING ABANDON THEM LIKE THE ADULTS ABANDONED US THE FIRST TIME?!"

"Mummy?"

Harry was shocked out of her rage, the papers she sent flying around the room with her uncontrollable magic floating to the floor. Harry looked between Draco, Prae and Lucas. Her hands were shaking and her eyes were dark.

"I'm sorry," She whispered and left the room, her cane slipped and clattered as she fell to the floor.

"Mummy!" Prae ran forwards to help her mother. Harry shook her head.

"Go-g-g-go to daddy, sweetheart," Harry said, Draco had stood to help her but she was on her feet and struggling up the stairs, her cane left on the floor.

"Harry?" Draco asked up the stairs, but he turned when there was a timid tug on his jacket pocket.

"Daddy, what's going on?"

Prae was behind him, tears in her green eyes, eyes just like her mothers, hair like her grandmother, Lily, that is, but her face was just like Narcissa; it was Lucas who spoke; Lucas was a spitting image of Draco, except for Lilly Evans' eyes, and Harry and Prae's eyes. That bright green.

"Come here," Draco hugged Prae to him and led Lucas to the lounge.

"Mummy's a bit scared," Draco began, he wanted so desperately to lie to them and make everything ok again. But Harry's face when she told him how Sirius Black had died made him continue on.

"Of what?"

"That bad men will try to ruin the world." Draco said, "But that won't happen, no matter what happens good always wins."

"Why?" Lucas asked

"Because good people have something to fight for." Draco said and hugged his children – something his own father had never done, hell, before Harry, something he thought he would never do. "Mummy will be ok though, she's just very worried and its making her a bit sad."

"But she's being silly, right, dad?" Lucas asked. Draco nodded.

"Yeah," Draco smiled at his son, "Nothing to be scared of and she'll realise that soon." The two children nodded.

"And mummy used a _very_ naughty word then," Draco told his kids. "And she'll be made to do dishes for a week for saying it, and you are to _never_ repeat it. Okay?"

Again they nodded and Draco looked at his watch.

"Right then, off to bed!" Draco pulled the kids upstairs into their wing. They each went off to their rooms. Like always Draco didn't look at James' poorly repaired door and went straight to the master bedroom.

"You okay, love?" Draco sat by her and rubbed her back.

"I can't not do anything," She whispered.

"I don't want to go through that again; I think we should run, now, before any problems start."

"James?" Harry cried weakly.

"I don't want to say abandon him." Draco said and gripped her hand tightly. "But he hasn't wanted to be apart of this family for an awfully long time now."

Harry just nodded tearfully.

"Please, can we think about this in the morning?"

Draco pulled her down next to him and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He kissed her shoulder and whispered a gentle goodnight, taking a second to very carefully remove the round glasses.

**25th September 2021**

Teddy was pacing. He held a bunch of flowers in his right hand which had been destroyed and repaired at least ten times.

"Life is about risks," He whispered. "But I'll hurt Sirius." He told himself.

"I _love _Mina_"_ Teddy was at war in his head. On one part, he loved her so, so much. They were more than best friends; she was his one and only. But Sirius still cared for her, even though the stubborn git refused to sort out their problems. Mina was slowly forcing herself to let go of any notion Sirius would sweep her up on a broom and take her away.

Since her parents had died the girls need of affection was insatiable, she wanted to be with him always and it would be so much easier if they were actually dating.

But Sirius.

Teddy was on the very verge of ripping his hair out when the floo flared up.

"Sirius?" Teddy asked, looking at the clock. It was quarter to eleven, Sirius looked calm enough if a little drunk.

"James was elected Minister," Sirius signed, Teddy nodded solemnly.

"I know, that will end badly." He looked at Sirius more closely.

"Are you alright?"

Sirius shook his head and sat down. "I miss Mina," He signed. "So much."

"I'm in love with her," Teddy blurted, then clapped his mouth shut with his hands. Sirius shrugged.

"You two would be good together, I wish you many fat children." He stood and turned to leave, quickly and gracefully.

"Wait!" Teddy shouted but the flames whipped him away.

_Well, that answers the question of is Sirius over her yet? _Teddy thought bitterly.

**HP**

That was it! He couldn't have Mina now even if he wanted her; Sirius stomped into his office and flopped into his chair. He lived between the room up the top of WWW with Uncle George, Teddy's apartment in the wizard-owned building across from the underground ministry building and Malfoy Manor. He used to stay with Mina all the time too but since he stupidly messed that up.

He decided to visit her now, they could never be lovers, it would hurt Teddy and Mina in the end, but while he was alive they could still be friends.

Mina jumped up and shrieked when Sirius came into her living room. There were footsteps on the steps and a tall, tanned, muscled man came down the steps. His dark hair was in his dark eyes and he was in nothing but Pyjama bottoms.

"Oh Merlin!" Mina's hand was on her heart. "Sirius, what are you doing here?"

"Who's he?" Sirius asked immediately, Mina's eyes went cold.

"Lucian Biancardi," She said, "We were in auror training together."

"And just thought you would have a little sleepover?" Sirius asked, "Like how you and Teddy used to have little sleepovers."

"I'm dating Lucian, yes, seeing as you made it quite clear you don't want me. You're drunk, Siri, go home before you say something you regret."

Sirius stared between the two. Lucian had been his dorm mate, an Italian born bookish boy who had always been neck and neck with him in all their marks. When push came to shove he got head boy because he played quiddich and Lucian had a few more detentions on his record.

Sirius turned and left.

She was such a whore, toying with him and Teddy only to crawl off to Lucian.

**26th September 2021**

The clock had just hit midnight when Lucian stepped forward and brought Mina into a hug.

"You still love him?" he asked. She just nodded.

"I'm okay with that," He said quietly. "I will love you as long as you'll have me my dear."

She smiled at that. "I love you to Luce," She melted in his hug and he smiled in her hair.

"He told me I'm not worth it; he thinks he's dying and doesn't want to cause me pain, but I was going to be in pain if he died anyway – look it doesn't matter."

She sighed deeply and let him sit her on the lounge.

"After he rejected me I thought it would be easier to distance myself completely, and then Teddy was there and my p-parents were killed and Teddy fell in love with me, he used to say it in his sleep." Mina let a fond smile cross her face.

"Teddy was like my best friend, and I felt only friendship towards him and I would never do that to him, to Sirius, the point is, I want to love and live and both of them couldn't provide that love."

He stroked her hair as she spoke. "Sirius was thinking he would never let me so close, but I know he loves me as much as I love him and-"

"You don't need to explain yourself, dear." Luce told her. "I don't love you like you love him, but I could, maybe, if you ever managed to stop loving him, I want to spend my life with you, dear." Lucian smiled his brilliant toothy smile at her. They had been together less than two weeks, she stayed in the manor for barely a week before moving in with Uncle Seamus and then she met him, on a trip to the ministry to recover her things and he told her he was sorry for his father being such an ass-hat.

That had made her laugh.

And Lucian was funny and proper and so very handsome. But he wasn't a one dimensional character. He was so very trusting, she already knew his whole past and his favourite colour (Grey) and his first pet's name (Loftie) and his favourite food (peas and gravy) their relationship moved fast but she liked it that way. She still hadn't had sex with him. They had tried, the first time he had had a panic attack, the second she had started crying because she felt like she was betraying Sirius.

Mina loved Lucian, but not in the same way she loved Sirius or Teddy.

"You should try to sort that out," Lucian said to her, "Or they will fight over you like a shiny toy."

Mina ignored him for now. She was too exhausted to think anymore.

**27th September 2021**

James sat in his conference room, the head of each department looking at him in awe.

"Looks so like his father," one man said.

"For this ministry to be united in the name of the righteous and Pure Lady of Light, you must understand the allure of her aura."

The Department Heads' heads shot up when a door to the left opened.

The woman was tall, and they saw nothing of her face or hair, only that she was gangly and thin. She wore robes that were the same deep red as James' own cloak at the bottom and pure white at the top.

James whispered the aura spell under his breath and the woman glowed the most pale and beautiful white light. Happiness and purity and an immeasurable sense of _goodness_ washed over the crowd.

"Are you proud of your aura's gentlemen?" The woman asked, her voice was not as sultry or smooth as they thought it would be. But it was not unpleasant.

The ministry men twitched a little.

"You have a week, gentlemen, to mould your Aura's into something you would show me, and you're Minister and the world. Next week," She paused, "We will be documenting the Aura of every man, woman and child in our world, and start enforcing and making plans for our own country of utter and beautiful peace."

The men in the room clapped her politely and she left to leave James to his job.

James had spent a long time with the other men, going over things he needed to know and fix and write letters for. He walked into his flat unsurprised to find his Lady waiting.

"Do you think I'm beautiful?" She asked, her hood was down and he looked at her for not a second before replying.

"You're the most beautiful creature," he gently stroked her cheek. "My lady."

"Will you kiss me?" She asked softly, blushing.

"You're too young," He said as gentle as he could.

"I need an aging potion," She huffed, "A permanent one, I need to be able to go and recruit and make theses changes real."

"You're so brilliant," James whispered, "But there's no need to rush, we have all the time in the world."

**HP**

Scorpius finished wrapping the little gift for Prae and sent that and his birthday message out the window with Shadowfax, his owl. She was an albino Great Grey Owl and dwarfed the other owls their family owned.

He stood and walked out of the Owlerly, down the long winding steps that were carved into the stone of the hills that Hogwarts rolled out on.

"Oh sorry!" He straightened the red-head girl he bumped into and went to keep walking.

"Out of the loony bin then Potter?" He turned to see Rose Weasley, her thick long red hair was fuzzy as usual and her stance was seeping superiority.

"Miss Weasley," Scorpius greeted her. "I never needed that place, I didn't try to kill myself." She gave him a funny sort of smile.

Her eyes darted to his head boy badge.

"Oh I don't think you _wanted _to die, you just _wanted _attention." She looked him up and down.

"I wouldn't do that to my family," he said, heated.

"Please," Weasley turned and kept on her way to the Owlery, "I'm brilliant, nothing gets past me. You, however need your daddy and mummy to win badges for you."

Scorpius took a deep breath and just walked away. Every conversation with the girl was the same, she was one of those infuriating, argumentative, know-it-all types. The Gryffindors tolerated her, because she did their homework and Page Potts, her only friend, hero-worshipped the girl like some sad little fan girl.


	22. Chapter 22

**28th September 2021**

Prae jumped excitedly out of bed (which only happened on her birthday and Christmas). She raced out of her room and straight down to the kitchen to find her parents and Lucas.

"Happy Birthday Sweetheart," Dad was in the kitchen, in some black dress robes. He had a leather folder full of paper in front of him.

"You have to work today Daddy?" Prae asked him. He nodded sadly.

"But I'll be home early tonight so you can open your presents, Teddy and Sirius are coming over too." Prae smiled at that.

"I haven't seen them in a long time." She said. Draco laughed at her and invited her to sit at the counter; she climbed up and came face-to-face with a big plate of chocolate chip pancakes.

"I have to go," Dad said, "But I made you these special for my birthday girl." He kissed her head and she hugged him hard and cried out thank you. There were eight pancakes but there was no way she would be able to eat all of them.

"Hello darling!" Mum hugged her from behind and gave her a wet kiss on the cheek. "Happy birthday my big eight-year-old!" Harry squeezed her again and she giggled.

"That means you have to start lessons with Mrs Faraway this year!" Lucas ran up to the counter and pulled some of the pancakes onto a plate of his own. "She's so smelly!" He said, "and boring."

"Lucas," Harry scolded her son lightly.

"Happy birthday Prae," He said ignoring his mother. Harry whipped her head around when she heard a tap at the window, recognising Scorp's owl. She let Shadowfax in and untied the package from its leg. The owl hooted lightly at her and took off to sit on top of the coat cupboard in the corner of the room where they left food and water for all the family owls.

There was a letter on the parcel addressed to Prae and Harry snuck the package out of the room and into the back drawing room where all of Prae's presents were being kept.

"Lucas," Prae turned to her brother and looked at him as he scarfed down his pancakes. When you saw this side of him it was unnerving to see the gentlemanly, proper side of him.

He hummed through his mouthful of food.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

Lucas looked at the sky as he thought and chewed.

"I want a big family of my own." He said, "and I want to be a teacher."

"Why?" Prae asked.

"I like to help people, but blood makes me feel sick." He told her, "And I like kids," He said, "I like playing with you and Roxanne, and other little kids when I see them. What do you want to be?"

Prae just shrugged. "I have a bad feeling that its not a good idea to plan ahead that far." she whispered.

**30th November 2021**

Mina frowned at Sirius as he crossed the atrium and dissapeared into the corridor where the lifts were. He looked tired, stressed, overworked and just sad. She didn't feel the twinge she usually did, she hadn't spoken to him for six months. She hadn't thought about him in at least two. She was in love with Lucian now. The man had loved her so completely she couldn't ignore him and she couldn't love him back any less than a hundred percent.

Mina wanted to be apart of Sirius' life again, and Teddy's too. But not if she was going to cause them pain, so she would wait for them to contact her, Mina waited in line for the Floo. there were two wizards in front of her, Mark Midgeon and Oscar Taylor if she remembered correctly. They had gone to school together. Mark was a very tall and broad shouldered boy with short brown hair, while Oscar was the thinnest man you would ever see, his hair was light blonde and he was so pale he was almost see-through. They were not moving for the floo powder or getting out of the way, so Mina coughed loudly to interrupt their praising of the Lady of Light.

"Are you going to move?" She asked rudely. They sneered at her, but stepped aside nonetheless.

Mina coughed a little as she came through the floo, but once she stepped in Lucian's apartment she stopped dead. there were a handful of candles lighting the room and soft music was playing. Mina smiled.

"Lucian?" She called out, putting her bag on the lounge and moving down the hall. Lucian was in their room, naked on the bed. one leg bent and his head propped up on his hand. He was laying on his side like a man in a tacky porn film and had a teddy bear in front of his penis.

He had the most ridiculous look on his face, one that said.

"Oh yeah, I'm sexy" while at the same time implying, "Sarcasm."

Mina burst out laughing.

"You have such a lovely smile." Lucian pulled his pajama pants on and walked over to her holding the bear. all she had noticed was that it was golden and holding a love heart.

"Whats all this about?" Mina asked, only just noticing the floor was covered in rose petals.

"You're always crabby after being at the Ministry, so I decided to cheer you up, especially since I need you in a really good mood..." He paused and knelt on one knee. Offering her the teddy.

"Mina, from the bottom of my heart, and the package - no the _present_- this bear holds, I want you to know, I love you more than I could ever say in words, so," He stopped and struggled to open the heart in the teddy's hands, "Marry Me?" He gave her his ridiculously unattractive puppy-dog-eyes and she giggled at him. She couldn't stop smiling.

"Yes," She whispered, He stood and hugged her, she batted him away and looked at the ring, only to find it wasn't there.

"Dammit." Lucian hissed, "shut your eyes!" He demanded.

Naturally Mina peeked as he fumbled with his suit jacket and he pulled a real ring case out of the pocket. Mina opened her eyes and started laughing.

"I knew I'd forget something," He said, stuffing the ring in the holder in the heart on the bear, Mina kept laughing at him.

He shut the heart and threw the bear at her.

"I made you dinner," He said. She was picking up the bear and slipping her engagement ring on her finger.

"Mashed potatoes?" Mina asked, already knowing the answer.

"With a twist!" Luce announced far to happily.

"If you've messed with my potatoes I'll leave you." Mina threatened.

They headded towards the kitchen where a huge pile of Mashed potatoes sat in a giant bowl with two spoons sticking from it. Lucian's "big twist" was to top it with peas and gravy.

"It looks like a sundae." Mina said, "And I want to eat it." Lucian smiled and they sat down to their dessert shaped dinner.

**25th December 2021**

The Manor had been decorated beautifully for Christmas, small Christmas trees littered each wing a large one stood in the foyer. Baubles and tinsel and holly garlands decorated walls, roof and banisters.

The Zabinis were here again, Fred, George and Roxy. Bill and Fleur, Sirius and Teddy of course, Mina and Lucian, her fiancée, Neville, Charlie Weasley had come with his brother too.

Pansy Parkinson had been invited along with her daughter Annettie, Oliver Wood and his kids Mack and Maisy were here and Scorpius' school friends Una, Ferran and Florence had also come.

It was Narcissa's Christmas party, she had organized all of it and spared no expense -Draco had managed to re-ignite the Malfoy family business and it was doing better than it ever had - Narcissa had had insisted that they have a big Christmas dinner and let their hair down. The implication that it may be the last time they could do that for a little while was left unsaid. The guests had just been called into the dining room for dinner where the table was spread with roasts and gravy, potatoes (both baked and mashed), vegetables, pies, dinner rolls and countless warm salads and plenty of wines, juices and other drinks.

Narcissa stood before anyone could start and raised her glass.

"Thank you everyone for coming!" She said, "I meant this not only as a celebration of Christmas but as an opportunity to spend a wonderful night with wonderful people." Narcissa smiled at everyone. Draco was frowning in confusion though.

"So a toast, to Scorp and Florence who start Auror training next week, and a congratulations to the recently engaged Lucian and Mina, I'd like to say how proud I am of Draco for picking up our family's business and how well he's running it. Well done to Lysander who's starting at St. Mungoes next month and Teddy who's just been promoted to site manager, and to Sirius who's done something very noteworthy in his field but isn't allowed to tell anyone what it is." the crowd laughed at that last one. "I'd like to congratulate Pansy, who has just been recognized for the line of anti-aging balm she's created and released, and Lorcana who is The Daily Prophet's Reporter of the Year."

Narcissa initiated the clinking of many glasses. Along with that came 'well dones' and 'congratulations' Sirius didn't look Mina's way. He was over her. But still didn't have to look at her or speak to her. Teddy had started talking to her again. Starting with an apology for avoiding her and assurances that he was not in love with her after all.

**2nd January 2022**

Scorpius looked at Paolo Biancardi with a skeptical look.

"I don't think the Auror's should support the leader of an extremist group." Scorpius told him. Paolo frowned.

"You haven't even been in this department an hour, Malfoy, and you're already fighting me."

"It makes no sense, I understand the minister supports her but we're supposed to be loyal to the ministry." Scorpuis handed the robe back. It was an orangy red colour. Not unlike the red Aurour robes already usually wore, but this was the colour of the lady of light. Not ministry Aurours and there was no symbol that said they were ministry aurors, not minions.

"If you want to be an Auror you have to wear the robes." Paolo said. "Not even my son was exempt from that rule."

Scorpius snatched the robes and headed out of the department and into the Department of Mysteries.

"You looking for someone?" Scorpius was startled by the unspeakable who was lurking in the shadows.

"Sirius Potter," Scorpius said, the man went into the round black door.

Sirius waved as he came out the door.

"Do you have the old Aurour robes in there?" Scorp asked, "I just want the ministry Aurour patch for this."

"Yeah, they use a whole wing in there as storage," Sirius signed, rolling his eyes. "Because its not packed in there as is."

Scorpius watched his brother retreat into the DOM. Returning not a minute later with a set of proper red Auror robes, the black embroided patch on the breast that said 'Ministry Aurour'

Sirius made Scorpius hold up both garments and waved his wand. The embroidery unweaned itself quickly and retread itself on the new robes.

"How do you know so many weird spells like that?" Scorp asked, inspecting the flawless patch, "especially with such shoddy wand work."

Sirius glared at him for that comment. Pocketing his wand and signing;

"I practice, now get back to work, kid."

Scorpius just poked his togune at his brother and they both went their seperate ways.

**HP**

* * *

><p>AN: Thank-you those that reviewed and follow this story, It means a lot that people read my work, on that note, I'm shamelessly plugging some of my original work;

**Anxiety Monster** - www. Fictionpress s/3069336/1/Anxiety-Monster

Angsty poem

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1000 words of horror

**Hero Of War** - www. Fictionpress s/2921262/1/Hero-of-War

A war poem

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She gave my friend nightmares

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Poetic proof I can make anything macabre

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Not your average, romantic, happy ending.

* * *

><p>Also I think I forgot a disclaimer, "Don't own the ideas, characters, settings and concepts taken from J.K. Rowling."<p> 


	23. Chapter 23

**12 Months Later**

**2nd January 2023**

Mina smiled at Teddy, Lucian and he got on so well he was the groomsman. Annettie Parkinson was her bridesmaid. The girl was two years younger than her and they've been working together in the Department Of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, she was not outstandingly intelligent but she was beautiful beyond measure –short choppy black hair, tall, thin, no sign of her mother's pug-faced-ness- and She was such a smart ass.

Mina hadn't wanted to make a fuss. They were getting married in the calm before the war and honestly it was a shotgun marriage more than anything.

"They'll notice soon," Annettie told her, "I suppose we could just say you've gotten fat." She waved her wand to let the white dress out a little and zipped it up. "Its no less true, you're just fat with baby." Mina shushed her. "You'll have to tell them eventually," she whispered, "Unless we hide it and tell them you've decided to adopt some random kid." Mina rolled her eyes at her friend. "Come on, get this over with." Annettie straightened her own dress and opened the door for Mina.

"Are you wearing shoes?" Mina said on the way out.

"I can't walk in those sodding stilts." Annettie said.

"They're four inch heels!" Mina exclaimed.

"Shut up and get married." She said pushing Mina out onto the isle only having to duck around her to go first.

The music played and Mina walked. Lucian stood at the head of the ceremony the Ceremony Official not three steps behind him. They were being married in the Manor Garden thanks to Mrs Malfoy, who had been as close to a mother as Mina had right now, she helped plan the small-ish event (Narcissa wanting to invite 300 plus people and Mina wanting barely 11) she picked the flowers and organised food and even forced Luce - Mr. Comfort Pants - into a five piece traditional suit.

She stood in front of Luce and he smiled at her, from behind him Teddy was doing all sorts of nutty things with his hair and nose.

_"_Ladies and gentlemen; we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two faithful souls, if anyone here has a reason for these two not to be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."

"Teddy stop changing you hair!" Luce looked around her and Mina frowned to look at Annettie, who didn't even have the grace to blush under the eyes of the 30 people in the crowd. The Ceremony Official looked so confused and Mina burst out laughing.

"Continue, sorry, they're just being silly."

"Do you, Lucian Paolo, take Mina Lavender, to love and respect as your lawfully wedded wife as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Lucian slipped the ring on her finger smiling.

"Do you, Mina Lavender, take Lucian Paolo, to love and respect as your lawfully wedded husband, as long as you both shall live?"

"Yes," Mina took the ring and slipped it over his finger; she heard Annettie make some comment but paid it no mind, Teddy was giggling though.

"Then I declare you bonded for life!" They kissed and jumped apart when what Mina recognised as Weasley fireworks exploded around the garden.

The crowd politely clapped, George and Fred II in particular making a racket. Paolo Biancardi was looking quite sour and slowly stood and came up to them.

"Best get on with those children then, woman," He hissed at her.

"Don't choke and die," Annettie hissed from behind her, Lucian burst out laughing.

"Father," He said, trying not to smile, "Unless you stop being so-"

"Much of an arse." Annettie filled in for him, Luce mock glared her but continued anyway.

"I would ask if you would show less disrespect for my _wife._"

"A woman must know her place, son," Paolo said calmly, glaring at both Annettie and Mina for not leaving them to talk. "Yours does not."

"She could kick his ass anyway," Annettie told him, Paolo turned to her.

"Please, shut your mouth."

"Father, you won't be meeting your grandchildren at this rate."

"And for someone who shows such disdain towards women," Scorpius came up behind his boss, "You're quite fond of your Lady of Light."

Paolo had no comment for them other than to praise 'his Lady' under his breath as he took his leave. On the topic of a reception, Mina had won, and most of the guests went home then with thanks from Mr. and Mrs Biancardi at the door. However Mina and Lucian, the Malfoys and Annettie and her mother went inside for a sit-down dinner.

"Um," Mina stood and called their attention. "Thank you for today," She said, "Specially Narcissa, considering I'm not family,"

"Just because Sirius is being a stubborn git doesn't mean you're not friends, and you're like a daughter to me, darling."

Sirius threw a horrible glare at his grandmother, who surprised everyone with her language and the utter fondness in her eyes.

"Well, I consider all of you family," Mina said quietly, "and Lucian does too seing as his father-"

"Is an unpleasant ass," Annettie supplied.

"You were a Gryffindor in school weren't you?"

"Through and through, now shush and let's listen to Mina long-windedly tell us all about her baby."

"WHAT?"

"I'm pregnant." Mina said, "It wasn't planned, not with the war-"

"That's wonderful!"

The crowd surged around her and Lucian, congratulating them and already asking about sex and names. Mina and Luce both smiled wide as their honorary family accepted them with more love than they could ask for.

Annettie stood back with Pansy, both of them smiling sweetly and the resemblance struck her before she was twirled away by the crowd.

Teddy hugged Mina and Lucian before moving back to make room for his rampaging grandmother and father.

"What's wrong with my hair?" Teddy concentrated on changing the colour and spoke to Annettie.

"Its bloody ridiculous," She said, "And a little unnerving."

**5th January 2023**

"We have to go?" Lucas was walking with his mother, Prae holding the hand of his father, Grandma was walking just behind them. They were in a part of Muggle London, an alley with a telephone box at the end. Dad went first, with Prae and Narcissa next. Lucas and his Mum stepped into the little red box. She dialled a number and spoke to the receiver, Lucas heard a clanging sound come from the telephone and checked the coin return. Two badges were there, 'Harriet Malfoy; Aura Registration' and 'Lucas Malfoy; Aura registration.'

"Mum why are we here?" Lucas asked. The phone booth lurched and sunk into the ground.

"What's going on?" Lucas looked around as the pavement went past the windows.

"It's a lift Luke," Harry said, "We have to go in for a registry, don't worry it won't take long."

"Oh, okay."

"Ah, the Malfoys!" A thin, pale blonde man greeted them; he put Lucas on edge, looking like some kind of pale insect.

"I'm Oscar Taylor," He said, shaking the hands of his mother, father and grandmother. When he smiled it made Lucas feel like he should hide.

"Today, we will need to simply document the colour and type of your aura and we can begin The Purification."

"What's that?" Lucas asked, panicked.

"Nothing, Luke. It's fine." His mum grabbed his hand and squeezed.

They were taken to a room where Teddy, Scorpius and Sirius, were waiting.

"The Malfoy family, beginning with Narcissa Malfoy," Mr. Taylor said, a boy in the corner began to furiously scribble notes.

Lucas stood up straight, minding his manners; they wouldn't know he was scared.

"_Personne Revealo_" The man said waving his wand at Grandma, Grandma began to glimmer, very brightly and dark silver.

"Dark, silver, bright." Mr. Taylor said, the boy wrote it down.

"Mr. Draco Malfoy." Dad stepped forward when the man called his name. He cast the same spell and Dad too began to glimmer.

"Exceedingly dark," Mr. Taylor said with an almost disgusted air, "green, and exceedingly bright."

"Mrs Harriet Malfoy. Dark, blue, exceedingly bright. Mr. Teddy Lupin. Neutral, brown and exceedingly bright. Mr. Sirius Potter. Vaguely dark, silver, exceedingly bright. Mr. Scorpius Malfoy. Neutral, gold, bright. Mr. Lucas Malfoy."

Lucas paused, the room was full of various fading lights and he froze.

"Its alright honey," His mother grabbed his shoulder and led him in front of Mr. Oscar Taylor.

"No, please, not him." Lucas found himself saying, he was terrified of the insectly man. "No please!"

"Ok, hun, Mr. Taylor, would you mind if I cast the spell?"

Reluctantly, Taylor accepted and Harry cast the spell on him, he felt no different, just had trouble seeing behind the brightness, but his mother was holding his hand.

"Mr. Lucas Malfoy," Mr. Taylor repeated. "Vaguely light, Magenta, Bright."

Lucas looked at his own hands.

"Magenta is pink!" He said angrily. "I don't want to be pink!"

"Its your aura, Luke, we don't get to pick."

"Unless you wish to pursue the noble cause of the Lady of Light," Mr. Taylor said. Lucas hid behind his mother.

"Miss Praecipua Malfoy," Mr. Taylor continued, Prae stepped forward. Looking at Harry only briefly for a reassuring smile.

"Dark, turquoise, exceedingly bright. Right then, that's your family done."

Mr. Oscar Taylor showed them out the door and back into the atrium. Lucas took his time to look at the fireplaces lining the walls and the large statue that dominated one's attention. His parents dragged them towards the fireplaces.

**3rd June 2023**

_CELEBRATED AUROUR RONALD WEASLEY POISONED_

_Lorcana Zabini_

_Mr. Weasley, age 43, father of two, was found dead in his home last night by Mrs Hermione Weasley. Mrs Weasley is unavailable for comment at present._

_Currently there are no suspects. So far aurors have revealed that it was the Death-Cap Draught, a potion infamous for causing hours of painful illness before killing the victim. Mr. Weasley was a valuable member of our ministry and an irreplaceable citizen in our community, having an active role alongside Harry Potter in the second war against You-Know-Who._

_Mr. Weasley's funeral will be held next Sunday for friends and family._

"Oh," Harry looked at the front page; a photograph of Ron in his auror robes alongside a much younger James plastered the front page. Lorcana had brought her the news straight away, knowing that Harry had been close to the Weasleys.

"I'm sorry Aunt Harry," Lorcana laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Its ok, I'm alright," Harry sniffled a little and blinked a few times, "We were best friends in school," She said. Lorcana just nodded.

"Thankyou for telling me," Harry said, she managed a weak smile.

"That's only part of the reason I came," Lorcana pulled a notepad from her pocket.

"I'd like a word or two from you, I'm doing an exclusive about it and _this_," She ripped a page and handed it to Harry, "Was forcibly cut from the article."

_While the death of Auror Weasley is a devastating loss to many, the second use of Death-Cap Draught in the last two years against innocent victims raises questions about the case of Scorpius Malfoy, a boy who was poisoned at only 15 and then readers led to believe he had attempted suicide, an accusation that made no sense to his friends and parents._

"Who had it cut?" Harry asked her.

"James," Lorcana said, "I don't know if it was because of the implication – he _was_ the Auror who took that case – or the fact that it hits a little close to home. His Uncle's murder and brothers attacker all in one.

"You should start producing your own paper Lorcana," Harry said, catching herself before mentioning Xenophilios and the Quibbler.

"I know about granddad." Lorcana said quietly, "And about his paper, maybe mum still has the printing press."

"It's a touchy topic," Harry warned her.

"I'll make dad ask, he tends to get a less violent reaction from her when she has to talk about it." Harry nodded.

"With very good reason."

Lorcana agreed.

"Aunt Harry would it be ok if I stuck around for a little while? I'm waiting for Lyda," Lorcana was twisting the hem of her cloak in her hands.

"No problem, how about an exclusive." Harry said, Prae came into the sitting room then, rubbing her eyes and yawning. She had a teddy clutched in her hand.

"Hello sweetheart."

"Hello Mummy." She said, crawling onto Harry's lap and falling back asleep.

"Ok, Mrs Malfoy," Lorcana said, "You were close to Mr. Weasley both in school and as a young Auror?"

"Yes," Harry said, "we were best friends in Hogwarts, he was my first friend and the two of us and his wife Hermione would go on terrifying adventures together, we became friends with Hermione after we rescued her from a troll in first year…"

**HP**

Lyda was walking up the stairs of the manor; she saw the door slamming and a young man with white blonde hair screaming about running away. A woman stood here with a baby, both were white blondes, she was calling for Lucius, a large abrasion on her cheek. A couple stood on the porch watching their son run around with the albino peacocks, he had a pronounced limp in his left leg. A faceless, hooded and cloaked man with red eyes stood on the doorstep, while a small dirty rat of a man with a silver hand knocked for him. Men in masks and cloaks swept from the house, wands drawn. A group of filthy men dragged three teenagers up the steps, yelling about rewards and praise and gifts, men and women in the cloaks of Ministry Aurors flooded the mansion, pulling two white blondes from the house. A woman with long black hair and a large pregnant belly ran up the stairs screaming for Narcissa. Lyda passed through the door into the atrium. Countless people stood around a shattered chandelier, a blonde couple set their bags on the floor and went to look for their son. The faceless man was raping a young blonde woman on the floor, fire, a faceless man fell dead on the stairs, and the people celebrated. She headed up the stairs and into a sitting room, trying to focus on the present.

"Lyda! What happened?" Aunt Harry was grabbing her shoulders and looking in her eyes, a man had a teenage boy under his wand, demanding he kill.

"Lyda?"

Lyda tried to focus on the present.

"They had to do it."

Harry stared at her niece's face, the beautiful porcelain doll with the dark hair and ivory skin.

And the two glass eyes.

"My visions are too intense, I can see everything, all the time, past, present, future. I don't need them, and it's less strain on my mind."

"You're still beautiful," Aunt Harry told her and she smiled.

"Thank-you."

"Lorcana, could I speak with your sister a while."

Lorcana nodded and left quickly, Prae was dazed from where Harry had pushed her off to see to Lyda, Lorcana took her with her.

"I like being near you, Aunt Harry," Lyda said when they were alone. You're so decisive. There's a war coming," Lyda said, "Its pretty certain, I couldn't say who wins or what to do," She held her head against her temples.

"I understand sweetheart," Harry rubbed her back.

"I would love some," Lyda said. Harry gave her a puzzling look, then remembered she couldn't see.

"I can still see," Lyda said, "I should have waited, you were thinking about offering me tea."

"Lyda," Harry sat in front of her. "You need to focus."

Lyda did as she was told, knowing exactly what Harry meant. She blocked out the images of meetings and tortures and fire, of parties and so many quiet family nights.

"Focus on my thoughts, in the present."

_'If you do well, I'll make you that tea.'_

Lyda laughed, only to have _everything_ come back full force.

"It was so q-q-quiet," Lyda said and she cried, the dull brown glass eyes became wet and continued to just stare ahead. They were not like the muggle ones, that looked almost real, more like the glass eyes produced by Germany before world war two.

"I'll get that tea, practice Lyda, you have to get control of this."

"I understand why Olivia did it," Lyda said quietly to the empty room.

* * *

><p>For what happened with Xeno and Luna and Blaise -www. Fanfiction s8399277/1/Help-Me


	24. Chapter 24

Please leave me a review.

**23rd June 2023**

"Aunt Harry!" Harry had been waiting for the Zabinis on the porch, Lorcana came up first, she held out a magazine.

"Lorcana Times?" Harry asked her eyeing the large burgundy heading, a picture of herself, Hermione and Ron back in first year was dominating half the cover, a quarter was the heading of the magazine, another quarter was the heading of the front page article "A tribute to Mr. Ron Weasley" and the last was the beginning of the article.

"This is beautiful, well done honey!" Harry hugged her and handed her the paper back, "I'd like to read it, when I can."

Luna came up to her next, leading Lyda on her arm.

"How are you going Lyda?" Harry asked, taking the girls arm and helping her up the stairs while Luna went to help Blaise.

"Better, so much better," Lyda kissed Harry's cheek. "I cannot get my proper vision back, but I can see perfectly if I concentrate, I'm trying to keep the past at bay completely. I know we can learn from it, but its too hard." Harry beamed at her.

"Come on I'll help you to your room."

"You don't need to yell for Uncle Draco," Lyda said, "He's on the way."

Sure enough Harry passed Draco on the main staircase.

Harry left Lyda to unpack, and was out the front in time to see Teddy and Sirius come home.

"I like this idea, mum," Sirius signed to her, Teddy was levitating all their bags – they had previously rented an apartment together, just to get out of home – "Its safe, is Mina coming too?"

Harry gave her son a sad look.

"Yes," She said, signing along with her words, "You had a bloody good chance-"

She stopped when he began to shake his head.

"I know," He said, "I'll always love her, but I'll move on, and I miss her."

He touched his heart and she knew he missed his friend more than his heartbreak.

"I want her friendship back, and I'm going to do it before I lose her to a battle or something."

He then grabbed one of Blaise's boxes and carried it inside.

Just as the Zabini's finished up, George, twenty two year old Fred and ten year old Roxy showed up, the men on brooms and Roxy behind her dad, Harry greeted them cheerfully, waving Teddy over to carry Roxy's things for her.

Then out of a muggle cab in front of the gates came the six month pregnant Mina and Lucian. They unloaded the bags from the car, Lucian desperately trying to pay the driver and make Mina stop helping and go inside.

"Come on," Harry said reaching the gates in time to stop her from picking up any of the bags, she held her back as she stood and shook her legs.

"Go inside, put your feet up and let the men handle the work." Harry waved Scorpius and Sirius over to help with their things.

Mina frowned.

"I just want to do _something_ other than 'look after myself'." She pointed an accusing finger at Lucian, "You, you son of a bitch, you did this to me."

"Oh god no!" Everyone looked up at Teddy who was watching Annettie and Pansy walk up to the gate from their apparition point.

"Mrs Malfoy," Lucian said, "I've still got my house, Its under a felidus charm and has enough long life food to last a few years, just in case anyone needs a hideout after it starts.

"Good thinking," Harry said, smiling, "I think the Parkinson's have done the same with their house." Harry continued directing people into the manor, happily greeting the very old Andromeda when she arrived and Llaria Zabini.

"Uncle Seamus!" Mina _still_ hadn't stayed inside, and was almost _running _across the yard to greet Seamus Finnegan.

"Jesus Christ!" He cursed and hugged her. Harry smiled at them and turned around to listen to Draco.

"We may be pressed for rooms, dear." Draco said.

"How many are in there?

"22 bedrooms, 20 are taken, who else is coming?"

"Lee and Tasmin Jordan, Neville, Bill, Fleur, Victorie, Dominique and Louis, Charlie, Oliver, Maisy and Mack, Una, Ferran and Florence."

"So that's, 14 extra rooms?" Draco asked sceptically, Harry shook her head.

"Una and Ferran are together," She said, "So thirteen."

"Oh boy, What about their parents?" Draco asked, "Those kids are Scorp's age."

"Scorpius told me the Daughterys, the Churchs and Mrs Kane have chosen to go into hiding on their own. Una Ferran and Florence were going to stay at the Daughterys Manor but its in Pakistan so Scorpius invited them here."

"Okay," Draco said, "So thirteen rooms?"

"Yep," She smiled sweetly, "and as many guest bedrooms as you can manage."

He smiled his winning smile. "And maybe a hospital wing, since we have healers here now."

Draco raced back inside.

"_Sonurous_" He whispered

"Everyone out to the east garden please, except Harry."

"Ok," He ran into the east garden, and waited. When he was sure everyone was there he began issuing his instructions.

"Luna, Blaise, Lyda, Lorcana, Lysander!" The five summoned people came forward. "Blaise and Luna, you have your usual room, Neville will be in Lyda's room, Lyda you're in with Lorcana. Lyda, take your things out and make sure Neville knows that's his room. Lysander, the library needs to be moved into the study and the Library will become a hospital wing, you're the _only_ healer on site, set it up however you want, your in your usual room, please and thankyou." They left all with their jobs.

"Lucian's a healer too, at least in training." Mina called. "He quit the aurors almost as soon as he started."

"Ok," Draco said, "Lucian, go help Lucas, Lysander, not Lucas sorry."

"George, you're in your room with Roxy, Fred, you're sharing your room with Uncle Charlie, George, can you let Lee and Tasmin know they're in the second floor, south wing, in the corner room?"

George and Fred both nodded and left.

"Mina, you and Lucian are in the big room next to Lee's it's the "First" room second floor south wing."

She thanked him and left.

"Annettie, you're sharing with Maisy Wood in the same wing as the Jordan's and Mina, on the other side of the bathroom, and Maisy's father Oliver is next to you. Can you let them know where they are too please, and tell them to send Mack to Scorpius. Mr. Finnegan, you're sharing with Oliver Wood in the room next to Annettie, Scorpius, you're sharing your room with Mack and Florence."

Scorpius nodded and left. "Make sure everyone knows where they're going and that the rooms are nice!" He yelled after him.

"Ugh." Draco closed his eyes, picturing the floor plan and where he had put everyone in his head.

"Okay, Lucas, you're sharing with Prae, and Louis Weasley is in your room, Teddy, you and Siri are in your room, and can you make up the sitting room there as a bedroom for Una and Ferran?"

"Siri, clean out your room it's a spare for now."

"Aunt Andy," Draco went over to his aunt, "You're next to Llaria, Llaria, your usual room, Pansy, you're next to Aunt Andy, third floor, west wing room one, and can you see that Bill and Fleur know their room, the sitting room across from yours."

Pansy nodded and Llaria and Andromeda went off as well, Draco raced out the front.

"I'm going to go grey early from this," He told Harry. "We have two spare rooms, after everyone's settled I'll see how were going and might shuffle back or change pairs. We can put a dorm-load of beds in the Zabinis sitting room and Sirius room, and the reception room if we have to, I'll have it removed from the floo.

"Its fine Draco," Harry said, "Thank you love."

"Has anyone else arrived?" Draco asked, Harry nodded.

"I sent Bill and Fleur and the Jordan's to George."

"Ok, you want to run in and do some chaos control, I'll wait and give instructions at the gate."

She kissed his cheek, "You're brilliant, love."

Harry, Luna, Narcissa, Llaria, Mina and Andromeda all helped to make dinner, and they were able to serve it with little hassle, but when Harry wanted to speak to all the adults, the almost thirty people had trouble finding seats. All six Zabinis, Neville, Mina, Lucian, Lee, Tasmin, Annettie, Pansy, Oliver, Maisy, Mack, eight of the Weasleys, Draco, Teddy, Sirius, Scorpius and Scorpius's three friends were all piled in the main sitting room in the centre of the second floor.

"We have reason to believe that this 'Lady of Light' will cause a war, already there's a disturbing corruption in the ministry, people are being registered and they're heavily censoring the media." Harry looked around the group to see only worried nods of agreement.

"We know Light magic is just as dangerous as dark, and I propose we re-instate the Order of the Phoenix when the time is right. You're all here in case a full scale war breaks out, the manor can be locked down totally," Harry sighed and looked around, "But we need to make plans to get anyone who doesn't want to fight and the children out of here quickly."

Draco looked at his wife as the crowd separated into fighters and non fighters. Lorcana, Pansy, Narcissa, Llaria, Fleur and Andy were the ones who would leave with any under seventeen or other adult who wouldn't fight, and they would be sent to the Daughtery's vacated home, as decided by Ferran, who happily told everyone the address for the Feildus Charm, as did Lucian, for his own home and Pansy.

Then Harry sent them away when a plan was formed, until it was just her and Draco alone.

"I'm so tired," Harry said and flopped her head in his lap.

**1st September 2023**

"Oh Merlin." Mina bent over double as best she can. Then sent a look of pure hatred to Lucian.

"Narcissa!" She screamed going up the main steps to the manor, Uncle Seamus and Lucian were right behind her.

Narcissa, Lysander and Lyda came into the foyer just as Mina and the others entered.

"Thank you Lyda," Narcissa said, dampening a cloth with her wand and putting it on Mina's forehead.

"You'll do fine, Ly," Lyda said to her brother as she gave the group a happy smile and left the room.

They were swept into the hospital wing and Mina was allowed to sit up on a bed. She knew she was in for a very long wait. Lucian offered her a drink of water.

"You're okay honey," Narcissa said, Mina just looked around the room helplessly.

"Ugh," She said as another contraction hit.

**12-14 hours later**

Lysander looked like a nervous wreck, Mina was tired and hadn't wanted to see the baby until it was clean, which Lucian did for her.

"I love you," He said, bringing in the kid – _her _kid.

"I love you too," She said, smiling at him.

"Wasn't talking to you, woman!" Lucian said, he handed the baby girl to her.

"Pfft. It looks… hairy." Mina said.

"She, has Dean's hair." Seamus said looking down for a moment.

The baby started crying and Narcissa shooed her uncle and showed Mina how to feed it.

"You said you liked kids," Lucain crawled onto the bed next to her. Mina frowned.

"I _do_, and I _love_ our daughter, it's just, so weird."

He laughed at her.

"I'm keeping your admirers at bay until tomorrow," Lucian said and kissed her head. He dragged a crib closer to her bed.

"Don't sleep with her in your bed," Mina glared at him.

"I _know_ that."

"Go to sleep, grumpy."

Lucian left before Mina could finish her comment about stuffing a watermelon up his arse. He got the idea though.

* * *

><p>James held both her hands, then he slid his hands up to her shoulders and around to her neck. Her hands were on his cheeks and she pulled him to her, kissing him hard.<p>

He could feel her Aura, as light as it would ever go and he felt some of her happiness.

"I love you," She whispered, he sucked on her bottom lip and she moaned.

He roughly pushed the cloak of her shoulders, it hit her bedroom floor with a dull thump, cascading in whites and reds.

He almost growled when he found nothing but her underneath and he pushed his hands down her back and grabbed her ass, slamming her up against the wall.

"I love you," she said again while his lips attacked her neck, he pushed one hand through her thick hair and she hurriedly undid his belt.

He flipped her over and pushed her against the wall. Not stopping when she cried out in pain.

"I love you too," he growled over her shoulder.


	25. Chapter 25

**2nd September 2023**

She was only tiny, and had her father's lighter skin and her mother's black hair but it was in thick, small ringlets like her grandfather's had been. She had her mother's eyes, which were dark, dark brown.

Mina looked at the baby.

"It's like someone mashed both of us together." She whispered to Luce. He nodded.

"I think that's exactly what happened."

Mina smiled and he kissed her cheek.

"You look worried." Luce said, he lifted the baby from her arms and cooed to her.

Mina wrung her hands.

"There are no parents to fix her," she said, Luce gave her his 'what on earth are you on about' look.

"With other kids, I teach them bad words like poppycock and boobie, and tell them to pick their noses and have food fights and put their elbows on the table, and then their parents take them and fix them. But we have to actually look after her. Make sure she eats healthy food and drinks plenty of water and sleeps well, and we have to put bandaids on her boo-boos."

Lucian laughed at his wife.

"We'll be fine, love."

"I always thought Mum and Dad would be here to help-"

"Oh honey," Lucian put their daughter in her bassinet and hugged Mina tightly. "They'll still help," He said, "Everything that they did or taught you while you were growing up will help, and they'll be watching and smiling, I guarantee it."

Mina nodded and wiped her eyes. The door to the infirmary creaked.

"Sirius?" Mina asked the green eyed man was almost sneaking into the room, looking nervous.

"I'll leave you two alone," Lucian said he quickly scurried out of the room.

Sirius looked into the bassinet and smiled, Mina hadn't seen that smile for so long and it pulled at her heart.

"She's beautiful," Sirius signed. "Looks like you."

Mina just nodded.

"I'm sorry," Sirius signed. "It was wrong of me to think you needed to be protected, especially since you were right. Whatever time we had would have been better-" Sirius didn't finish, he just dropped his hands to his side.

He glanced at her daughter again and she saw something in his eyes that she would never forget.

_Jealousy_

"I won't ask for another chance, Mina, it's not fair on you, you've moved on, and I have too, but I want my friend back."

Mina smiled at him.

"I want that too, Siri."

She stood shakily out of bed and he came over to make sure she didn't fall.

And he hugged her, just an innocent hug.

Mina lay back down in bed and smiled at him when he sat on the side of the mattress.

"So," Mina sat up and picked up her baby. "Are you going to hold her?"

Sirius looked so terrified she just laughed at him, he was as stiff and proper as ever with the baby in his arms, and he looked terrified.

"Stop it you won't drop her."

Sirius gave her a look that she clearly read as 'wanna bet.'

She glared at him.

He gave her the baby back.

"Did you name it?" He asked now that his hands were free.

"No," She sighed. "I don't want to name her Parvati, Lucian does, but it's a morbid name, hello sweetheart I named you after your butchered grandmother."

"It'll just remind you of it as well," Sirius signed. "Mum has that problem with me."

"I didn't know your name had significance."

"I was named after Sirius Black, he was mum's godfather, James was after her father, Teddy was named after his grandfather, Scorpius' middle name is Severus after Severus Snape, Lucas is named after Lucius Malfoy who was a good dad to Ayah before he went insane, and Prae is named in honour of the house of black, because technically Mums the rightful heir since Sirius named her his son/daughter. And her middle name is Lily after Mum's mum."

"I want to honour my parents, but not in an obvious way." Mina said, and then she gently touched the baby's forehead. Sirius grabbed a piece of paper and wrote on it.

_Dena_

"Dena." Mina read.

"It's a feminine form of the name Dean." Sirius signed. She nodded.

"I'll run it by Luce," Mina told him; she grabbed his hand before he could leave.

"Thank you," She smiled at him and he offered her a sad smile back.

Lucian came back in as soon as Sirius left.

"What about Dena?" Mina asked him, he smiled.

"I like it," he said, "Dena," he smiled.

"And a second name?" She asked.

"Shae?" He asked, "After my mother?"

"Your mother was a prostitute," Mina pointed out.

"She was still my mother, and the brothel wouldn't let her keep me, that is why she gave me to my father."

"Alright, I like that name anyway," Mina said.

"Dena Shae Biancardi."

**31st December 2023**

Lorcana was just quietly walking down Diagon alley on New Years Eve. There were groups of witches and wizards walking around, loud and drunk celebrating another year. Many of them were yelling their faith and love for the Lady of Light, or their wives, or their penis. They were just being loud.

Lorcana ignored them, she was heading towards the post office, who were openly supporting the Lady of Light to the point of censoring her experimental 'Lady Of Light bashing' letters and she wanted to know why, censorship had never been apart of the media and it should never be.

Her magazine was taking off, she had already created pockets of doubt about the Lady of Light and the ministry's involvement in her extreme cause, there was a new head of department every week now, with no reason for the new appointments, some people, like Hugo Weasley, who was the new head of the Department of Magical Transportation even though he was only just out of Hogwarts or Gilles Harvey, who was the same age as Scorpius and already head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes (when honestly, Mina should have gotten that job when the position opened) Lorcana stopped outside the post office and was reaching for the door when a man walked up behind her.

"_Stupefy"_

**1st January 2024**

"She's been writing rubbish in that rag of hers, about me – about us."

"But still, it goes against what we stand for."

"James," there was a sigh, Lorcana risked it and silt her eyes open a fraction. All she could make out were two blurry figures, one dark, and the other light. "Look, for this to work, we all need to make sacrifices. I sacrificed my Magic; you must sacrifice your aura, please?"

The dark one nodded and pulled his wand.

"We need dark wizards for this to work, you always knew that."

"But, I'll be bad-" The light figure kissed the dark one.

"No," she said, "You can never be bad, you will be powerful and righteous and a hero, you will be the reason I win this, you will bring peace to our utopia."

"You're right," He walked over and nudged her, Lorcana lifted her head.

Then there was pain. Her skin burned and her blood boiled and she screwed her eyes shut.

Then it stopped.

She took no notice of the figures in the room anymore, because it felt like nails were being driven into her ears.

Then it stopped.

And then her skin split. Cuts opened up on every available surface and bled and stung, cuts opened up on top of those cuts and she screamed.

Then it stopped.

"James, its working!" Lorcana paid no mind to the exclamation as she began coughing, blood, and spit and her insides felt like they just ripped away from her body.

Then it stopped.

**24th January 2024**

"Witches and Wizards, devoted and pure supporters of the Lady of Light!" Harry watched her son prance around on stage, in his red/orange cloak. A woman in a fitted white cloak that faded down to the red of James' at her feet stood on a raised platform on the stage behind him. "Its time to see your Lady," James yelled and the crowd cheered. There were hundreds all packed into Diagon alley. "Its time to see her Aura, and feel what we want for all of you."

The woman on the stage pulled her hood down as James cast a spell. The red hair of Rose Weasley cascaded over the white clad shoulders and she shone a dull but still bright somehow, pure white. Harry felt a wave of pure bliss wash over her and she frowned.

She had seen Draco's aura and recognised the addictive undertone and falseness that dark magic provided.

She pulled the final copy of the Lorcana Times from her pocket.

_THE LADY OF LIGHT, NOT SO PURE!_

_By Lorcana Zabini_

_There are select few 'neutral' wizards left in Wizarding Britain, most have been seduced by the 'greatness' the mysterious Lady of Light promises us, but here it is the truth about light and dark magic._

_Magic is a sentient being and we can treat it like an infection, it wants to be used and this is how we separate light and dark magic._

_Now we all know about Aura's now and what our Aura is, and neutral magic – the spells in books and what we all learned at Hogwarts, doesn't affect this aura. We have the power we were born with, and the colour we were born with._

_But we can change our aura, which is where light and dark magic come in._

_Those that lived through any war know what a dark wizard is and the pain they can inflict, and there's both downsides and upsides to using dark magic, the magic makes a person gain power, you draw on the power of the world, and whoever you're harming. Then your aura tells you how unstoppable and powerful you are. This constant feeling of superiority is a false one; every dark lord has been defeated no matter how dark they are._

_But the use of dark magic will drive you mad._

_Lord Voldemort, Bellatrix Lestrange, Grindelwald and Lucius Malfoy are a few noted Dark Wizards who were driven mad by their own aura._

_Light wizards haven't existed for an awfully long time because they are useless. Light magic is the counter curses for dark magic, and you're rewarded by the magic with a constant sense of undoubtedly being a good person, love, happiness and righteousness, again this is a false feeling. As the feelings evoked by Dark Magic have been termed Madness, the feelings evoked by Light Magic are termed Bliss and they are both as dangerous and false as the other._

_The penalty for using exclusively Light Magic as the Lady of Light is pushing for us to do, is the loss of your magic. You may counter dark spells, and have a feeling of bliss, but no apparition, no levitation charms, no healing charms, nothing._

_Before you rally behind this extremist stranger, remember she is trying, in effect to ban magic, and we will not have the convenience of things muggles use to get by without magic because the heavy magical signatures in wizarding homes, streets and buildings wont allow for such things to work._

_Finally I leave you with this, if Light Magic can only be used to counter Dark Magic, how is the Lady of Light using so much Light Magic to change her own aura, when there are no active Dark Wizards in out community?_

_It suggests she has a Dark Wizard along side her, the minister, perhaps?_

The residents of Malfoy Manor believed it was the article that got her killed. And now Rose Weasley shows up with an aura whiter than the sun and prances around on stage winning over the support of hundreds of people with her false bliss.

"Come on Scorp." Harry grabbed Scorp's attention and Lucas' hand and took her children away from the crowd.

"Most of the ministry are against her," Scorpius told his mother, "granted every day people are being replaced but the people who were there are all against her. I've been handing out these fake Knuts," Scorpius said, showing her a Knut. "I took the idea from the DA galleons you told me about.

"It's more of a, 'when we need to rally against her, we'll keep you in mind' thing, I didn't tell them anything other than that, oh and that the activation word is 'mo-jo' when it gets hot.

"That's brilliant, Scorp, what if they go to Weasley?"

By now they were nearing George's shop.

"Their tongue sticks to the roof of their mouth unless they're talking to another Knut-bearer. And I already know word's getting around because I have people coming up to me at work and requesting them."

"What about people who are coming along to plan to attack?" Harry asked a bit concerned.

Scorpius smiled widely, "When we summon them, the coins automatically pretrificus totaluas them all." Harry laughed at the grin on her sons face.

"That's quite brilliant," She said.

They walked through the doors into WWW, George looked pale.

"Rosie is the Lady of Light?" He asked weakly. Harry nodded sadly at him.

"My little niece," George sighed.

"It gets worse," Harry shuffled through the handful of newspapers in her hands showing him one with James and the hooded Rose kissing.

"They're first cousins," Harry said painfully, "and they're _together_."

George cringed.

"Egh," He said.

"I think she may have killed Lorcana too," Harry said, "well J-J-James did." Harry wiped her eyes.

"I think Ana was right," Scorp took the Lorcana Times off Harry and continued.

"James is her Dark wizard, and he's using Dark magic on animals and people so she can counter it to enhance her aura and make him stronger. I also think she's the one who tried to kill me," Scorpius said, "Because I always beat her in potions, and she had a thing about being the smartest ever. Then Ron Weasley was killed with the same potion?"

Harry's eyes went wide. "Potions have no alignment, so she can use them without darkening her aura."

"She's a bloody psychopath!" George said. "That need to be the smartest ever is true, she always was fishing for complements about how bright she was and Ron ignored her most of the time, always pointed out her flaws pushed her to be better – he meant well by it, she had so much potential but she just couldn't do it."

All four people in the room turned when the shop bell rang.

"Paolo?" Harry asked, "It's nice to see you again what-"

"Shut up Potter," Paolo said, "Scorpius Potter,"

"Malfoy," Scorpius corrected with narrowed eyes.

"Scorpius Malfoy you are hereby under arrest for the Murder of Lorcana Zabini and conspiracy against the ministry." Paolo snatched Scorp's wand and bound him with an _Incacerous _spell.

"Wait a second!" Harry yelled, "He was at home right over Christmas and new years!"  
>"Or with you at the ministry," Scorpius said.<p>

"Save it for the trial, Potter."

"Scorpius!" Lucas snatched his brother's wand off Paolo who looked sour.

"The family are entitled to keep it." Harry said sourly.

"Don't worry Scorp," Harry held his arm "we'll clear your name."


	26. Chapter 26

"Harry?" Draco stared at his wife as she furiously limped into the crowded dining room.

"Scorpius was arrested," She announced, there were only half the people living in the manor there but that's all she needed.

"They're accusing him of Lorcana's murder," Harry searched for Luna and Blaise, who both looked like they didn't know whether to be outraged at the inaccurate accusation or upset because of the reminder of their recently deceased daughter.

"They gave us no evidence," Harry said, "no explanation or a trial date."

Lucas was giving Scorpius's wand to Draco who pocketed it and hugged his son lightly.

"I don't know," Harry paused, not sure what she was going to say.

Mina was in the corner with two month old Dena, Sirius next to her looking worried.

"I'll go and talk to my father," Lucian said, he stood from his chair and left.

**25th January 2024**

Lucian came home and went looking for Harry straight away. She was with Prae in the drawing room.

Harry looked at him worriedly.

"He's in Azkaban," Lucian said, "They're refusing a trial because his Aura is slightly dark or something," Luce shook his head, "Something about Dark Wizards not being allowed trials."

Harry frowned.

"Before you get angry, we need to get everyone listening to a wireless. Now."

Harry sent Prae to find Lucas and Roxy and go play while they rounded up the adults in the house – the ones that were home – and they all piled into the sitting room.

_"Ladies and gentlemen!" _the voice from the little radio exclaimed. _"I, Oscar Taylor from the Aura Registration Commission, and my colleague Reid Hollow, Head of Department, bring you the final information from the aura registry."_

The voice changed.

_"Reid Hollow here and I'm delighted to tell you one in ten wizards are slightly light wizards, however, one in two are slightly dark and a disturbing one in four are significantly dark."_

_"Indeed,"_ Oscar was back _"it's disturbing to think that in your average family, one person will be a dark wizard and two will be striving for it."_

_"These statistics have been taken into account by the ministry and a number of new laws will be put in place as of midnight, tonight._

_Firstly the trace will not be removed from any underage wizards at the age of seventeen, and every adult must have the trace re-applied. You have a week from tomorrow to go to the ministry to have your trace put back on._

_The trace is used to detect Dark and now Neutral magic._

_We're striving for a world where we are all blissful and neutral magic will not achieve this, hence, from midnight tonight, both neutral and dark magic is prohibited._

_Already the Protectors of the Light are removing muggles from this country in a safe, humane way and in accordance with the Statute of Secrecy._

_Soon we will live in Bliss – an all wizarding country where only pure happiness and goodness and kindness is allowed._

_For this bright future, we thank the Lady of Light!"_

Draco shut off the wireless and everyone in the room just looked at each other.

"Oh hell no!" Annettie said loudly. "How do we avoid the trace?" She asked, "and we need to remove it from the kids or they'll never be free."

"It's not so bad though?" Maisy Wood asked, "I mean, we will have our own country."

"Oh no," Mina said, her face going white.

"That's what's happening," she looked around the room, "Ok, Lorcana said that the Lady of Light must be using Dark Magic to make her aura light, and I know the Divine Councilmen are doing it too, they're all nearly as light as her-"

"Wait the who councilmen?" Draco asked.

"The head of each department. Hugo Weasley, Nat Perrin, Paolo Biancardi, Reid Hollow, Ewan Kelly, Gilles Harvey, Raoul Leroy and Kane and Oscar Taylor." They're called the Divine Councilmen led by Rose herself, and they show off their nice light auras all the time. The muggles they're moving, well not moving they're what they're using to make their auras light, they use whole towns, starting off in the north whole towns have been wiped out, we're being told Dark Wizards are doing it but that's how they're clearing the country of muggles." Mina was shaking, Sirius took Dena off her and she leaned heavily against the wall, Annettie came up next to her.

"You're right," She whispered, "And we've been _helping _those bastards."

"How do we avoid the trace?" Oliver asked, shushing Maisy when she tried to speak up again.

"Leave it to me," Mina said, and she left the room.

"We should activate Scorpius's coins." Draco said, "Now's the time everyone will be most outraged."

"We can't," Harry said, "Scorpius never told me how to activate them, and he has his coin anyway, or the ministry has it we can't."

**Three Days Later**

"Done," Mina said to Harry when she stumbled into the kitchen.

"Mina!" Harry jumped up and ran over to her, holding her shoulders. "Are you alright?"

"Lucas honey can you get Lysander?" Harry made Mina sit down and looked at her swollen, bleeding eye.

"I'm fine," Mina said, "But according to the ministry, you and Draco live here, that's it, Dena, Lucas, and Prae don't exist, George wanted to send Roxy to Hogwarts so I had to leave the trace on her, I can remove it later though.

Everyone else is okay too, I've just changed their records, and the trace room just shows their old homes when people go to look for them."

Harry smiled at her. "Thank you," She stepped back when Lysander came into the room.

"My ribs, ankle and my eye," Mina said, "and I have a big cut on my shoulder."

Lysander helped her stand and helped her to the infirmary.

"Where's Dena?" Mina asked when she saw Lucian in the foyer. He looked angry, Harry went to stand in front of Mina.

"You just left." He hissed, "You have to feed her and take care of her and you left for three days, and now you're hurt."

Mina shut her eyes.

"Lucian, I told you I was bottle feeding! Were in the middle of a bloody war and I'm an auror."

"Were, you were an auror an now you're a mother."

"Lucian, stop it," Harry said, "She's hurt and Dena was looked after."

Lysander dragged Mina away. Harry prodded Lucian with her cane so he wouldn't follow.

"I grew up without my mother-"

"And if you keep carrying on like Dena isn't your responsibility too then you're mad."

"She's my daughter-" Lucian started.

"And Sirius and I looked after her while Mina was away."

"I won't have my daughter growing up without a mother, I'm protecting her from death, she can stay here and stay safe."

"Sirius," Harry said looking at her son who was carrying Dena and began signing as soon as Lucian faced him and took his daughter.

"You should know better than to protect her from anything, it's how I lost her, and you will too if you try to stop her from helping."

"She's a _mother_ now, and that should be her only job."

"Really?" Mina was sanding in the doorway, her eye was healed but the blood was on her face, she was glaring at Lucian.

"Mina, it's safer, and better for you and Dena."

"And what about you, did you see her at all while I was gone?"

Lucian glared at her. "We'll talk about this later."

"Was that a threat?" Mina yelled after him, she made to take a step forward and fell, Sirius caught her.

"Come on, back in bed," Harry said as Sirius scooped her up.

"He's such an ass," She cried.

Lysander came over straight away and fixed her back and ankle.

"Stay there," He ordered, "I'll go get Dena for you if you want?"

Mina nodded and Lysander left.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked her once he put down the half-tonne of things Lysander made him hold.

"He, since Dena was born he's just been at me about being a good mother, told me I _have_ to breastfeed her and bond and all this other rubbish. Told me I'm not allowed to do anything but be a mother."

"Why?"

"He's got mummy issues, his mother was a prostitute and hid him in her rooms until he was seven, then she had to give him up and he went with his dad, he has this idea that his mother is perfect. The most important thing in his life."  
>"Even you and Dena?" Sirius asked. Mina nodded.<p>

"I didn't know, he never told me the whole story until after I was pregnant. And now, he's acting like his father, all high and mighty and sexist."

"Just talk to him," Sirius told her, "He can't have changed that much, he's just scared."

"Oh."

Both of them turned to see Lucian standing in the doorway, Dena in his arms.

"I want my baby." Mina said, he came over and handed her to her. Sirius smiled when Dena smiled at Mina.

"So what the hell is going on here?"

"Excuse me?" Mina stared at her husband.

"You and Sirius?" he asked, "Forget you're married?"

"Luce, please were friends, we've been friends since we were eleven."

Sirius didn't bother announcing his departure, just slid out of the room.

"What's wrong with you Luce?" Mina asked, "ever since Dena was born you've been acting like your father."

He sighed. "I'm not like him. We have to change we have to look after our daughter now and you're running off and leaving her alone."

"We don't have to change; we _do_ look after her I look after her. These past two months you've done nothing, you haven't even been around and I leave for three days and you just hope someone else takes care of her."

"You're her mother that's your _job._"

"No," Mina stood despite Lysander's warning, Dena still in her arms. "We look after her, it's our job, and now I _know_ she's safe from James and the rest of them. You don't understand, I want to be a reason that she grows up in a world that's not dangerous and void of magic, not hide and let others fight for it. If she loses me then I hope it's not for nothing and that you or Mr. and Mrs Malfoy or Sirius, or Uncle Seamus take care of her, but I will help, any way I can to make this world better for her Lucian."

She looked at her husband and smiled, but he still glared.

"That's so selfish," He hissed, "To wish anyone to grow up without their mother, let alone your own daughter."

"Lucian," Mina's eyes snapped to the door where Teddy stood, hair and eyes as black as night, his face red from anger. "You dare say something like that in front of a woman who's lost her mother, and me, who lost my parents for the exact same reason, when yours is still alive, and you haven't bothered going to see her or contact her?"

Teddy took two strides forward.

"Get out," He hissed, "and have a good think about how you'll be apologising to your wife."

Lucian bared his teeth but scurried out the door without another word.

"Teddy?" Mina had tears running down her face and was shaking violently. Teddy darted forward and plucked Dena from her arms, which then began shaking too.

"Mina," Teddy began. Dena began to cry. "I'll get Sirius," he said and left, gently shushing the baby.

Sirius was waiting outside the door, Teddy just nodded to him and he ran inside.

Sirius speared a heartbroken look at Mina before scooping her up in his arms and letting her cry into his shoulder.

**3rd February 2024**

"Teddy," Teddy whipped his head around to look at the person who spoke to him. She has long straight shiny sliver hair and grace and beauty beyond measure.

"Victoire," Teddy greeted her as she sat down, "I once recall you telling the Gryffindor common room that we were the mental side of the family?"

A very pale pink blush flashed across her cheeks, Teddy swallowed hard.

"Sorry," She looked up at him through her lashes and he discreetly crossed his legs. "Rose has taken that noble title off you guys. I was such a twat in school."

Teddy was a little taken aback by her language at the same time thinking it was adorable.

"No problem, its behind us now." He said lightly.

"Anyway," She turned and leaned into him, grabbing his arm. "Whats going on with Mina and Lucian?"

"She's putting up with him, I don't know why, something about the promise she made when she married him, hes being a total ass."

Victoire nodded. "It won't last long, its pissing Sirius off to no end, to see her treated like that."

"Like what?" Teddy asked, lowering his voice.

"He's just forcing her to be a mum, nothing else, she doesn't even talk to anyone else, they don't eat with us, I guarantee you she won't come to the meeting today."

Teddy shook his head. "She's not like that," He said, "She always liked kids but was always happier when she was working, even since she was thrown out of the Aurours. You know she was the first person to complete Aurour training in under three years? I'm sure Sirius helped her with the potions part of it."

"I like you."

"What?" Teddy turned to look at the pretty girl as if she had grown another head.

"I like you, we should date sometime?"

"Did you just ask me out?"

Victoire sighed.

"No, you're too stupid for me if you thought _that_ was subtle."

Teddy laughed at her.

"I'd love to."

"Excellent. make sure you bring me flowers too, I like flowers."

Harry limped into the room then, a portrait hovering behind her. She placed it on the wall with a sticking charm and uncovered it. Fred brought a second one in, putting it up next to the first.

"Everyone, Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape." Harry announced the two portraits looked around, Dumbledore with bright eyes and Snape with his usual sneer.

Teddy looked around the room, there were around twenty people there, Including Oliver and Maisy Wood, Fred and Uncle George, and Victoire's father Bill. Professor Longbottom, Lyda and Lysander, Annettie Parkinson and Una and Ferran, the lesbian couple of Scorpius's friends and Florence and his new girlfriend Naomi Spinnet, and of course Teddy himself and Mum and Dad and Sirius.

"Where's Mina?" Harry asked, seeing no sign of her or Lucian. Sirius must have answered her, but all Teddy could see was his back and the reaction of both Harry and Severus Snape.

"You must understand we're not the real people," Painting Dumbledore said, "But we can help, and I can most certainly bring back the Order of the Phoenix but this time, Harry will be the leader."

"We need to devise a plan to stop Rose Weasley," Harry said, "Shes not only killing muggles but using them to lighten the auras of other people. Can someone get Mina? She actually knows this information." Harry held a hand to her forehead.

"You'll need a spy," Snape said, "Someone they won't recognize and won't suspect." Snape stopped and frowned at Sirius, who must have been talking.

"Who's Scorpius?"

"My first biological son," Draco said, "He's 18, turning 19, and he was locked in Azkaban for some rubbish charges, but he's got a way of summoning all the wizards from the ministry who are against the Lady of Light."

"How do you plan to do that?" Harry said frowning at Sirius. Then her eyes went wide.

"Okay, Sirius will work on breaking Scorpius out of Azkaban-"

"Ironically enough," Snape supplied, "the same way Sirius Black escaped Azkaban."

Harry glared at Snape for the inturruption.

"I'll try to get in with the Divine Councilmen," Teddy said, "James would never be able to recognize me, not if I'm careful." Harry got a pained look on her face but nodded.

"That's all my children in the war then." She ran a hand through her hair.

"We need to start trying to take back the ministry," Draco said, "I would suggest imperious curse but I don't think it will go down well."

"If its our only choice," Harry said, "Ok, if you work in the ministry go with Draco, Bill, do you think you could get us the alliance of the Goblins?" Harry asked the curse breaker, "Teddy too if you need him, and Sirius, do you think you could supply us with some potions, talk to Lysander about which ones he needs for the hospital wing - Mina?"

Mina had just walked in the room, her cheek was bruised but she looked as determined as ever.

"We're working on it, its hard for him to shake his god-damn father, and don't think I'm not apart of this. Ok, the ministry have overlooked me pretty spectacularly when it came to getting rid of non-supporters, and this is what I think is going on. James is in charge of an installment of Dark - or almost Dark Wizards who are attacking muggle towns in disguise, in reality they're under Rose's orders and are called 'Protectors of Light'. Rose takes in a group of ministry wizards and is getting them to counter the dark spells. This lightens their aura to a 'respectable' point. Then they send in my department to do clean up. The light wizards _can't_ counter neutral magic though, so stunning, binding and cutting charms will take them down, the Dark Wizards are proper Dark Wizards and we might need some Light Wizards of our own to fight them, but neutral and dark magic will still work against them. I have to go." Mina only stopped to softly whisper in Sirius's ear before she darted out of the room again.

"I think we should get rid of Lucian too," Harry said, "There's something not right there."

"Theres something else," Annettie spoke up, "I heard Oscar Taylor talking about it a few weeks ago, and already Muggles are evacuating, we've put the idea into their minds that the island is sinking - but he was saying that soon they will run out of muggles so they're going to start sacrificing wizarding towns. I don't understand what that means but it sounds bad."

"Annettie, could you find out more about that?" Harry asked her and the girl nodded.

"Alright, Draco and the Ministry people are still working but I think we're done here, so, welcome members of the 2024 Order of the Pheonix.


	27. Chapter 27

**4th February 2024**

"We should move the Order to Grimmauld Place," Harry told Draco, he looked at her with a thoughtful expression.

"Definitely," He agreed, "we have so many plans that will interfere with their regime, it's only a matter of time before they target the Manor, and we need the space to live."

"So we should broadcast that we're living in Grimmauld?" Harry asked, Draco nodded.

"We move tomorrow then." Harry said, get word out through the ministry then?" Draco nodded.

"What are we going to do about Lucian?" Draco asked. "I think he's abusing Mina."

Harry frowned. "She told me it was going well, he has to look after Dena and she's staying in until he can. That's their deal."

"She's got a giant bruise on her cheek, Harry." Harry sighed and snuggled closer to Draco side. They were sitting against the headboard in his bedroom, the four poster bed decorated in greens and silvers.

"She's not our daughter," Harry said, "and she's a grown woman."

"She should be," Draco whispered, "I was so sure he and Mina would get married."

"You know why he didn't," Harry said, "The same reason I broke up with Ginny before the second war. The difference is Ginnny neknew I would come back. Sirius thinks hes supposed to die."

**6th February 2024**

"They're in Malfoy Manor, about thirty of them." Naomi Spinnet was kneeling before the Lady of Light, delighted to bring her the news.

"No," Rose told the girl, "We've heard in the ministry today the Order Of The Phoenix moved into Grimmauld Place yesterday.

"They're living at the manor, they have spies in the ministry, at least one in every department. The leader of the ministry spies is Draco Malfoy himself, he doesn't trust me so I haven't been included, but soon they will have two impenetrable fortresses. Now the Manor is weakest. Draco and Narcissa aren't there, people are going in and out and its mayhem. Send in the Protectors of the Dark and snuff out as many rebel lights as you can, My Lady."

"Do it," Rose said to James, who got that dark glint in his eyes.

"Run," Lyda whispered, "RUN!" She then shouted, and the Manor shook.

She grabbed Fleur who was closets to her and Desperately tried to find Lysander.

"They're coming here, now, they're going to burn down the Manor." Harry pulled out her wand and went to find Prae and Lucas and Narcissa. Black cloaked people flooded the house and began igniting whatever they could.

"RUN!" Harry shouted, she found Prae and picked the small eleven year old up, Lucas and Teddy were right behind her, Lysander and Llaria.

"Narcissa?" Harry asked.

The Manor shook again and Harry could see fire creeping up the stairs.

"Come-on," she shouted.

"Retreat! RETREAT!" Harry yelled through the house, she put Prae down and her and Teddy fought a group of the black-cloaked men, meanwhile the manor burned around them, and shook and swayed dangerously.

Teddy grabbed Prae and ran downstairs as Harry knocked out the men.

"Teddy, be careful!" She screamed, seeing him grab Victoire by the hand at the bottom of the stairs, he turned briefly to smile at her and ran them to safety.

Mina held Dena close to her chest when a chunk of the ceiling fell down.

"Lucian, let me go!"

"No," He said, "We stay where it's safe and hide."

"You stupid man!" Mina pulled her wand on him. The door behind him bashed open.

Mina fired all the curses she knew around her idiot husband and into the pair of black cloaked figures who were attacking their house. Lucian launched himself away from them and hid behind Mina, who was doing her best to shield Dena from the men.

"You coward!" She yelled at Lucian, ignoring him completely as the man on the left was hit with a cutting curse to the throat and the second man fell from her stunner and she ran from the room.

"Narcissa?" Mina saw the woman sitting down curled around a body.

"Oh god," she hurried over to the woman. "Leave him," Mina choked through the tears, "He's gone."

"It's my fault," the elderly woman cried, "I can't think, I can't fight," she choked on her own sobs and curled around the dead boy tighter. "I froze and panicked an he was hit," she whimpered, "I couldn't even think to pull my wand." She sobbed again, Mina pulling at her robes so she would stand. "The same thing happened when Lucius took Sirius and Draco – all my fault! Let me die!"

Mina slapped her.

"Stop it, there are more people in this house that need you Cissa, and you can't blame yourself for L-Lucas' death, come on, we have to go."

Bill growled as the house shook, "We need to find the kids, now," He told Fleur, grabbing her hand and running to Louis's room.

"What's happening?" He asked, looking at the flaking ceiling as the house shook again.

"RUN!"

"RUN!"

The three turned towards the door when they heard the distant screams.

"Come on, son," Fleur pulled her son out of his room and ran down the stairs with Bill following them, wand out.

There were Men in black cloaks waiting, three of them at the foot of the stairs wands raised. Bill darted forward, Louis not close behind engaging them in battle. Fleur yelled warnings too them, but none of them saw the blasting hex before it hit Louis in the shin.

He cried out as his leg was torn apart.

Bill stunned two of the men and the third ran off.

"Come on, Bill supported Louis on the injured side and Fleur helped on the other. His leg looked shredded from the knee down.

_"Avadra Kedavera!"_ Mina reacted from instinct when she heard the curse behind her and ducked from her spot, Narcissa jumped up too and a hole was blasted in the wall.

"Lucas," Narcissa said, Mina didn't see the face of the young blonde boy as she turned to face their attacker.

"James." Mina said, reluctantly, she handed Dena to Narcissa. "Run, Cissa."

Narcissa ran.

"He's your brother, James," Mina said, looking at Lucas.

She recognised the deep and thick cuts from the cutting hex, wrapped over his shoulder and through his belly.

"Not my brother."

"He was still Harry's son."

She wordlessly began the duel, sweat pouring from her brow from the effort and the flames.

"Mina!" James turned, shocked at the voice of his mother, Mina stepped in front of Lucas' body.

"James?" Harry said, she was leaning on her cane heavily but her wand was still trained on him.

"Let us go, James," She said quietly. "The house is coming down, it's over."

There was a creek and a shudder as the foundation of the manor rocked.

"Forget them, forget them Lysander!" Lyda pulled her brother roughly.

"No, I need those things to heal the people who've been hurt in this, Lyda you _know_ that."

"Merlins balls, Lyda cursed, they ran down the last staircase and into the hospital wing. Lyda started scooping supplies and potions and other things randomly into bags as Lysander did the same thing. The manor rocked on its foundation.

"Ly, we have to go," Lyda said, he nodded and followed her out of the room.

Lyda could see nothing but fighting and fire, and curses. A stinging hex.

She pulled Lysander out of the way and danced around him as he ran, countering anything that came near him and pulling him away from the ones she couldn't. He was their healer, he had to _live_. She jumped in front of a burning hex when there was no other option and it hit her thigh, Lysander cooled it as best he could whilst moving and she took a cutting hex to the arm and another on her back which he roughly 'stitched' up.

"Narcissa?" Lyda stopped and turned, they were almost to the floo room, most of the second and third floor balcony was across the foyer floor, making it hard for the old woman to run, they both watched as a green curse hit her in the back, she pitched forward and dropped the bundle she was carrying.

She landed dead, eyes open on the floor of her burning home, and both Lysander and Lyda could do nothing to help.

"Through the floo!" Neville yelled from where he was running down the remaining stairs. He stopped when he reached Narcissa's body.

Lyda looked around, pieces of the manor were crumbling and burning the black-cloaked men had either died or left or were leaving, raining spells and curses in their wake and now the fire – burning out of control- was their biggest threat.

"Professor! Come on there's no time!" Lyda 'looked' through the house. Harry and Mina were still upstairs and Bill and Fleur and Louis would be coming from the second floor any minuet.

Draco was on the top floor checking for survivors before they abandoned the manor.

Neville stopped and picked up the bundle Narcissa had dropped when she fell.

Dena.

Ly raced forwards and looked the baby over, "Just a cut." He said and they all slipped into the reception room and took the floo back to Grimmauld Place.

"Lucas?" Harry whispered, "LUCAS!" She screamed and ran past Mina, Harry's cane clattered to the ground and Mina picked it up and shrunk it, putting it in her pocket. The house shook again and she quickly deflected some of the falling ceiling before it could crush Harry.

"Harry, there's nothing you can do," Mina placed a hand on her shoulder as she clung to her sons dead body and screamed, and sobbed, even louder than the fire.

"This is not you're fault," Mina said to her, "Bring him back with us and say goodbye properly," She whispered, "but you cannot save him now, and if you stay, you'll die."

Harry tried to lift the boy but couldn't, she sunk to the floor again and held him and shook.

"No, no, no, no, please no." she whispered, she took a shaking hand and brushed his bloody blond hair from his green, lifeless eyes.

"My son," She said and Mina felt her own heart break. Tears were in her own eyes for the boy she thought of as a little brother, but for now, she would be strong for Harry.

She pulled the woman away and transfigured the body into a necklace, hanging it on Harry's neck. She whispered words of comfort to the woman and pulled her against her and helped her down the stairs through their burning home and into the floo.

**HP**

"Bring your wounded to me!" Lysander was shouting around all the people packed into the kitchen of Grimmauld place, Lyda was organising the injured and sending away the healthy.

Harry collapsed on the floor.

"Are you hurt?" Mina asked her, she shook her head.

Draco came through the floo then, Narcissa's body in his arms and tears in his eyes.

"Harry?" Draco paled seeing his wife crumpled on the floor.

Mina took the body off him and carried her through the kitchen.

"In the dining room," someone told her. She laid the woman respectfully on the table and stroked her cheek.

"Cissa," she whispered.

Lyda was sitting in the corner, her eyes closed. Her parents, Llaria and Lysander were safe. Professor Longbottom and Seamus Finnegan were here, Mina and Dena, Lee and Tasmin, Annettie and Pansy, Oliver, Maisy and Mack, George, Roxy, Fred, Charlie, Bill, Fleur, Louis, Dominique and Victorie, Harry, Draco, Sirius, Teddy, Prae, and Ferran.

Lyda thought.

Eight missing.

She went back to the floo.

The Manor was hot and red but she used her wand to clear a path, she looked – really looked. Lucian was dead in his rooms. She summoned the body, Narcissa's body had been brought back by Draco, and Lucas's body was with Harry. Una and Florence were on the third floor, dead, she summoned their body's too. Changing them quickly into easy–to–carry things she scanned the house one more time.

Mrs Tonks was still in her room.

Lyda ran up the half of the stairs that were standing and darted around the flames and falling house.

"Grandma?" Teddy was weaving in between all the people, he hadn't seen Nanna Andy come through the floo.

"Nanny Andy?" He called again, moving further into the house, getting more and more worried.

Lyda found the old woman in her room, just sitting on her bed – she was smiling.

"Leave me dear," She said, "I'm quite ready to see my Ted again." She smiled.

"I can't let you burn." Lyda told her.

"Yes you can," Andromeda told her. She stood off the bed. Lyda pulled her wand.

"Don't-"

"_Pretrificus Totalus!_" Lyda's limbs snapped together and she fell to the floor, she saw Andy run out of her room and down the hall.

"Don't worry," she whispered, "Someone will notice _you're _missing."

And she jumped, from three stories up, off the third floor of Malfoy manor and fell through fire and falling stones to the foyer floor.

"ANDY!" Teddy still hadn't found his grandmother and tears streaked his face. He grabbed the floo and said, with fear in his eyes, "Malfoy Manor."

His grandmother was dead.

_Teddy_

She had- fallen? From the top floor to the foyer and she was spread eagle on the floor.

_Teddy, Help, Andy's room._

Teddy shut his eyes. Tears prickling them. The voice in his head causing the pain to triple. He should have been there to help her, he should have mad sure she was safe.

The house gave an unsteady lurch. Teddy grabbed Andromeda's body and dragged it towards the floo.

_For fucks sake Teddy, its Lyda, come help me!_

Teddy's head snapped up at the angry shout in his brain. Then he transfigured the body into a ring and apparated upstairs.

She was paralysed in Nanna Andy's room, face down on the floor, he muttered the counter curse and she jumped up and ran to him, as the floor gave way. The house shuddered again, in earnest and lurched, and crumbled. They ran down the stairs, wands pouring water to make them the thinnest of pathways. Teddy began blasting away walls and banisters and falling rubble so they wouldn't be hit. Lyda's grip on his arm was bruising and his feet were slow and sore and burnt and hot.

They blasted through the front door as the manor finally collapsed. A cloud of smoke and ash and dust rose into the air above the destruction and the massive fire was crushed and extinguished. Lyda leaned against Teddy who held her as she shook. Neither of them spoke, just stood, shaking, covered in blood and sweat and ash.


	28. Chapter 28

**13th February 2024**

There was a small garden behind Grimmauld Place; it would be no bigger than a little bedroom, with a high stone fence and two monstrous trees in each corner that blocked out the sky.

Lyda had found each of the body's in the Manor before it fell, so everyone was accounted for, and each were transfigured into a small ring. They were buried in a line against the fence, with a small headstone, no bigger than a book.

They read, from left to right;

_Narcissa Malfoy, a loved Mother, Grandmother and friend. 1955-2024, age 69. Lucas Malfoy, a wonderful little boy, 2012-2024, age 12. Andromeda Tonks, a loving Mother, and a beloved Grandmother, 1951-2024, age 73. Lucian Biancardi, a loving father, 2000-2024, age 24. Una Kane a wonderful woman, 2006-2024, age 18. Florence Church, the wacky wizard, 2006-2024, age 18._

The congregation of people were all silent, and all in black. Harry and Draco clung to each other, Mina was comforting Sirius, who was actually pulling tattered sobs from his ruined throat, Teddy was holding Victoire, who was gently rubbing his back.

They had no funeral, or proper burial, most of them were wanted criminals, they could hire no official wizard to say the sad words one does at a funeral. Lyda stood before them, with a piece of parchment, tears in her own eyes for her friends and family.

_In all our hearts there is a garden_

_Where we go when we die._

_And now I tell you the happy reason_

_Why at this funeral, you should not cry._

_Because this garden in our heart_

_It's the only place a man can fly._

_And when you go there all your love;_

_more than what could fill the sky,_

_surrounds you in a beautiful hug_

_and you spend your time as happy as pie._

_So please don't despair when someone has gone,_

_because through you their end is not nigh._

_Because they're safe in their own heart_

_And though you may be miles apart;_

_know they're still in your heart too._

_So only for now, my friends adieu._

The words were not said aloud, but they rang through the minds of each of the people there. Lyda standing as solemnly as the rest.

"Thank you," Harry said to her, she just smiled, the two glass eyes still managing to find Harry's own exactly.

The people now living in Grimmauld Place numbered only 24, and they only just fit into the rooms of the five-story house. They younger children, Dena and Roxy, and the almost eighty year old Llaria Zabini and Fleur, Dominique and Pansy, along with the injured Louis had gone to Ferran Daugherty's secluded ancestral home in Pakistan. Harry looked at Prae. She knew she should send her too – or go with her even, but after losing Lucas…

"I want our son back," Harry said to Draco, tears silently rolled down his cheeks as well.

Sirius looked at Mina. "I'm sorry," He signed, barely being able to control his hands. "You've lost Lucian too."

She shook her head.

"He wasn't the same man anymore, and I lost any love I still had for him when he hid behind me and Dena when we were attacked. I knew he was dead as soon as I left the room without him." Sirius nodded.

"Are you alright Siri?" She asked, he nodded, knowing she was asking apart from losing Lucas. "It hurts now," she told him, "And it will always hurt, but it gets easier to accept with time." He just nodded, and she just hugged him.

**Twelve Months Later**

Hermione Weasley cried out frustrated as she grazed her knuckles again on the washboard. Hugo had left his robes and things to be cleaned and it took her almost a whole day without magic. She was already lucky – she had used it once, just on one little stain and only being the mother of the Lady of Light kept her from being arrested.

The wizarding world was falling apart without magic, and now the wizards and witches were concentrated in the city of London – all of them - no muggle electricity or technology would work.

And washboards were fine, when they scrubbed the clothes themselves. She threw the heavy, soaking robes back into the tub of rancid water and kicked the leg of her table. She lived in little more than a high-rise shack; there were so many out-of-control fires now that most of their homes had burnt to the ground at least once. The fire repelling charms that surrounded fireplaces and candles were banned.

She had a slither of hope, though; Hermione looked out the window at the scene from a movie set in the 1800s. Filth and muck littered the streets and everyone now had a horse, Thestral or broom. Muggles were not able to enter the city, though thanks to the Order of the Pheonix they were still in Britain, still in greater London, The City of London had just – disappeared.

The Order of the Phoenix was here somewhere, among them, all still using their magic, and fighting against Rose. Hermione was stuck, her daughter had murdered Ron – she knew it, but Hugo didn't, and she couldn't speak out for fear of the Protectors of the Light defending Rose.

Hogwarts was closed; instead it was being run from Sir John Cass's primary school and was not run as a boarding school. Most of the office buildings had to be used for accommodation, except for Tower 42 and Heron Tower. Rose was working from 42 and the ministry were in Heron. 30 St. Mary Axe was where they moved Azkaban too.

Despite the number of devastating battles between the Protectors of Light and the Order, James Potter and his little gang had very few losses. They kidnapped the order members and muggles to practice their magic on.

"Mother!" Hermione barely restrained from screaming when she heard her daughters voice and the unfamiliar crack of apparition.

James Potter had his hands around the waist of Rose, in an inappropriate manner. His once Weasley blue eyes were completely red now.

He looked so much like Harry, especially after Sirius had died. Pale and thin, large dark circles under his eyes – the only difference was the manic gleam; it reminded her of Bellatrix, and the happy smile, which stabbed fear into her heart.

"It's your turn!" Rose said, "The ministry have been turned light and now we start on civilians!" Rose grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, a bright smile on her face, "It's so exciting."

James held out his hand and Hermione felt her own shake as he grabbed it.

She felt the tight squeeze of apparition.

"Welcome to 42!" Rose announced happily. The inside of the building was clean, at least. Hoards of people in groups and various Protectors of the Light were guiding them through.

"We _know _London is overpopulated." Rose said to her, "So we're cleaning it one district at a time, and the sacrifices of some will be able to create our perfect world."

"The sacrifices?" Hermione asked.

"You go with James," Rose said, "He'll keep you safe."

She put Hermione's hand on James' arm and stepped back, putting her hood up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you've been chosen to help the Protectors of the Light stop an outbreak of Dark Wizards in the north."

Rose lifted her arms, "stay safe!"

In pairs the Protectors of the Light apparated away with a civilian.

Hermione was first aware of the screaming.

Men in black cloaks had the residents of an apartment in a circle, three or four of thirty were already dead.

A spell was whispered in her ear.

"Do it, at the woman who's holding the dead baby, now."

Hermione shook as she uttered the spell. The woman's screams stopped.

Another spell was whispered in her ear. And another and another, she countered the dark wizards spells one after the other while James dueled the actual wizards. But no matter how many counter curses she cast or the others cast when they returned it was only the twenty Protectors Of Light and their civilians came back. The victims all died.

Rose came up to her, her wand drawn, and cast a wordless charm. "Oh MUM!" She exclaimed hugging Hermione, "You're a Light Witch now, look!"

Hermione looked at her own hands, her aura shone through dull and the lightest shade of her own gold aura.

She stepped back.

"Rose, what are you doing?" she stared at her smiling daughter; whose smile faltered.

"Cleaning up our city," Rose said, getting angry, "The city of London is ours, Mum, and we need it to be beautiful and pure and good."

Hermione shook her head.

"No, sweetheart, you're not going about this the right way. We need our magic and our freedom-" Hermione stopped talking when James wrapped a hand around her throat.

"Take her to The Mary Axe," Rose said, "Near the top."

James smiled his demonic little smile, and with a crack of Apparition Hermione was ripped away.

_"Expecto Patronum,"_ James said and a stag leapt from his wand.

"A Stag," Hermione whispered, she looked into his dead red eyes. "For Harry?"

James smiled.

"I still love my father." He said, "I hate all the others."

"And Sirius?" They were standing on a staircase, a spiral one that swayed dangerously going right up the centre of the building. Magic must have been holding it.

The cells were about 1.5 meters long and one meter wide, they were hard against the inside of the tower bars on all four sides. They were near the top, and already Hermione could feel the chilling cold of the dementors.

"Shut up, Scorpius." James ordered.

"Harry wouldn't be proud of you, James, she misses you, and she already knows-"

"Shut up!" James snapped and threw Hermione in the cell next to Scorpius. He took her wand and apparated away.

"Scorpius Malfoy," Scorpius held his hand through the bars. Hermione looked up. He was a handsome boy, with blonde hair and silver eyes. He looked like Malfoy, with Harry's face. Although his eyes were sunken and he was unshaven. His hair long and dirty.

"Hermione Weasley." She said. "I remember you, from school, you were head boy." He nodded.

"You're Rose's mother." Scorpius said, she nodded, to ashamed to look up.

"It's not your fault," Scorpius said. "No more than Mum can be blamed for James."

"That's – he's my fault too." She said quietly, "And Ron's, he was never so, intense when he was younger."

"No," Scorpius said, "Not your fault."

She leaned against her bars and looked down. The tower was shaped like a bullet, lined on the inside with steel bars, a meter and a half away from the outer glass, which was filthy, the dust and mud made the light inside brown, everything looked like a sepia photo. But it wasn't warm, it was freezing cold.

The cages were tiny and had a thin mattress and a bucket, they were like a second wall inside the bullet, she could see all the people stacked on top of one another, and there was a massive space again before the stone, railing-less spiral staircase unsolidly swaying in the centre. Below them swam a sea of dementors, low enough to only be mildly uncomfortable, but the people at the bottom would be in hell.

**31st March 2025**

Hermione woke with a start, she smiled at Scorpius, who wasn't sleeping at all it seemed. She was still tired and plagued with all her bad memories.

Scorpius smiled when there was a light clatter on the steel roof of their cages.

"What's that?" Hermione asked, reaching for her wand that isn't there.

Scorpius reached through the bars and up to the roof, and in his hands brought down a tiny black kitten.

With a wand in its mouth.

"Do you want to come back to the order?" Scorpius asked Hermione. She nodded. He waved his wand at her and turned her into a little mouse. He then conjured a thin bridge of ice between the cages and the staircase. Scorpius pointed the wand at himself and transformed into a little white mouse.

The kitten picked up the wand and the white mouse and the brown mouse climbed onto its back. The kitten slipped along the thin ice bridge, digging in its little claws until it got to the stairs where it jumped down each stair carefully.

The three tiny animals slipped past the dementors quickly, the insane inmates at the bottom of the tower didn't notice them at all.

Once out through a cracked pane of glass, the cat let the two mice down and wand in mouth snuck into the gutter and ran. The mice followed him two blocks away, to a tall wizard in the red robes of the protectors of light. He picked up the kitten and the mice and stuffed the mice in a pocket, and the wand in a pocket, he then walked another block to where a hippogriff was tethered outside a pub.

The hippogriff was a palomino horse and a white bird. She had icy blue eyes and greeted her rider with as much respect as he showed her.

They soared into the air, joining the other animals and brooms in the smoggy sky and flew over the wrecked city.

They landed in a street that was dirty and smelled, the trees were dead and the road was cracked and broken.

Identical square apartments stood over the street.

The man walked up to number twelve and knocked.

The door opened silently and he slipped inside, setting the kitten on the floor.

"Yes!" The cloaked man jumped about a foot in the air as a black haired girl scooped up the kitten.

"I love his animagus, it's so cute!"

"Mina, he'll hate you for that," Teddy said smiling.

"But he never turns into a kitten for me!"

Teddy pulled the two mice out of his pocket as Harry came down the Hall with Draco.

"How'd you go?" She asked, laughing at Mina and the kitten. Teddy set the mice down in the hallway and waved his wand.

"Scorpius!" Harry cried and flung her arms around her son.

"I made a friend," Scorpius said, and Harry looked at the second person in the room.

"Hermione," Harry said, "Hi."

Hermione nodded a little unsurely then teared up, her bottom lip shook and Mina grabbed her arm and dragged her away.

"It's alright," she said, "You can take this room," she led her into a spare room and followed her in, grabbing a handkerchief from the dresser and handing it to her. The kitten perched obediently on her shoulder.

"I'll bring up some food for you," Mina said, "and clothes and tea and you can come down whenever you're ready or stay here for however long you need."

Mina pulled the bedding from the cupboard and waved her wand to summon some clothes.

"There's a bathroom through there."

Mina looked at the shaken woman.

"Thank-you, Miss Thomas." Hermione said to her, Mina smiled.

"No problem, professor."


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 30 – 2nd April 2025**

"Hermione?" Hermione nearly screamed when there was a knock at the door. She didn't recognise the voice, but she did recognise how she said her name.

"Harry-er-Harriet?" Hermione sat up in bed when the door creaked open.

"Hello," Harriet said, coming in and sitting in the armchair near the wall, she had a plate of food in her hands. "And it's still just Harry," She smiled.

Hermione looked at her old friend. Her hair was still short and messy, she was still skinny and small, though now her hipbones stuck out sharply and her collarbones were very pronounced though she didn't seem underweight. Her face was almost the same, the chin was a little less square and her neck was thin and straight – no Adams apple. Her round, thick glasses were still on her face and her eyes were exactly the same.

The lightning bolt scar was still the thin pink line it always had been. Her cane rested next to her and she had a great deal more scars than before.

"You're still the same," Hermione said, taking in her posture and her aura. This was Harry. "How?" she asked, "After everything, are you still exactly the same?"

Harry handed her the plate of food and she took it gratefully.

"I don't know," Harry said. "Are you alright, Hermione?" She nodded quickly.

"I don't think I can stay, I can't – Rosie is my daughter."

"She had you locked away, Hermione," Harry was looking at the floor.

"I think she killed Ron. Merlin, Ron." Her bottom lip wobbled dangerously but she didn't cry. "We were wrong Harry," Hermione said. "I'm so sorry, after Ginny died, and Ron blamed you, he just shut down; there was no evil greater to him. He wasn't the same and I blamed you for that. I should have slapped some sense into him, into myself."

"Its okay," Harry said, "I understand, I've spoken to Arthur about it."

"Oh," Hermione was embarrassed. It was easy to be awful to him, and throw him from their family. Only twenty years old with three children having just lost his wife. But now she had to face that decision, while her daughter was being a warlord somewhere and she was not the type of person to be able to ignore that. What she let happen.

"I'm sorry." She said, "I'm really sorry Harry."

"I miss you," Harry said, "And Ron – Merlin I wish we could have made up before-" He stopped and Hermione nodded. Before he was poisoned.

"That article, in the Zabini girls magazine, it was lovely." Hermione said, "Is she here? I'd like to-" Hermione stopped talking when Harry shook her head.

"She was killed, just over a year ago now, I think."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Hermione said. "I know what Rose is doing is wrong."

Harry nodded.

"But I can't fight her, if I were to see her in a duel I couldn't-"

"I understand Hermione," Harry said to her softly. "You can't go back, you and Scorpius are wanted criminals now, but I can offer you sanctuary, either here or with the others that wouldn't fight and the children."

"I'll stay, I'll do whatever I can."

Harry smiled at her. She stood shakily and hugged her.

"Thankyou Harry," she whispered.

The door swung open then, revealing a young man with platinum blonde hair and grey eyes, but he looked exactly like Harry. The boy smiled and Hermione recognised him.

"Scorpius!" She said brightly.

"You're staying!" Scorpius said happily.

"Thankyou Scorpius," Hermione said happily. He grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the bathroom that was in her bedroom.

"You must shower," He said, "and eat," He pushed her into the bathroom. He stood at the door, "I'll be back in a half hour to take you down to meet everyone."

Hermione did as she was told. Scarfing down the food Harry brought and jumping into the shower.

Hermione was greeted exactly thirty minuets later by Scorpius.

"Come on." Scorpius dragged her down the stairs into the kitchen.

"Hermione!" George greeted her first. Then Fred.

"Uncle Bill is here too," Fred told her, pointing to the tall red haired man who was talking to Victoire.

Hermione went straight to them, Scorpius following behind her.

"Bill, Victoire," Hermione greeted as a sandy haired man came up behind Victoire and hugged her.

"Aunt Hermione!" Victoire pulled away from the man and hugged her, Bill lightly kissed her cheek.

"This is my boyfriend Teddy Lupin," Victoire said, Hermione looked at the man in awe.

"My you've gotten big!" Hermione told him. "I knew you when you were a baby." She said.

Bill snorted.

"Now they'll have a baby of their own."

"What?" Hermione looked at the young couple. Teddy blushed but Victoire smiled and pressed her hands over her stomach.

"Three months." She said.

"Teddy knocked her up!" Scorpius supplied unhelpfully, Teddy muttered something that sounded like 'shut up before Bill kills me' and walked off.

Hermione laughed. Bill _did _look a little sour.

"Oh cheer up Grandpa." Victoire said, lightly hitting his arm. He glared harder.

"Ok. Charlie is over there, and that's Luna and Blaise." Hermione looked over to see the people Scorpius was pointing out. "Lysander and Lyda, they're Luna and Blaise's kids." Hermione looked over to see the two dark haired but impossibly pale young adults. Lysander had very dark eyes, while Lyda had none. Hermione couldn't help the shocked sound that escaped her mouth. "Oh yeah," Scorpius said, "She had to have it done, she's a seer – like a real one and her visions became so intense she didn't need her actual vision anymore. She pretty much knows everything, and she can talk to people with her brain. It's pretty cool. Lysander is our Healer as well, so remember him."

"Hermione." Hermione turned when a hand was placed on her shoulder.

"Neville!" She said happily. The man was standing behind her, as confident as ever a smile on his lips.

"Its good to see you again," He said, "Seamus is here too." Hermione looked over and indeed Seamus Finnegan was talking to Mina Thomas who was holding the struggling kitten that had rescued her and Scorpius from Azkaban.

"She's not letting Sirius go is she?" Scorpius laughed. Neville laughed too.

"I wouldn't want to cross him," He said lightly, "Kid can brew potions better than Snape. He'll get her back big time."

"Sirius?" Hermione said, "Sirius Potter?"

Scorpius laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, his animagus form turned out to be a little black Kitten, its friggen adorable and he hates it."

"Watch your language Scorpius."

Hermione froze.

"Malfoy." She said and faltered.

The man was as handsome and pointy as he had been in school, but now had an uncharacteristic softness to his smile and eyes. She was startled, and even more so when Neville said hello to him warmly.

"This is my Dad." Scorpius said happily, "Draco Malfoy."

Draco held his hand out and Hermione shook it with a little hesitation.

"Granger," Draco greeted with none of the sneer or disdain he used to say her name with. "I'd like to apologize for the names I called you in school." He said Hermione just nodded. "Scorpius where's your mother?"

"She's with Prae." Scorpius said. "Prae is my little sister," Scorpius told Hermione as Draco left. Hermione nodded.

"Right then," Scorpius fought through the crowd a little. "That's Tasmin and Lee Jordan, and Oliver, Maisy and Mack Wood.

"And that's Ferran Daughtery. Her parents own the manor the rest of the Order are hiding in. Hermione nodded.

"Ok, everyone!" The room turned when Harry called them to attention. "We have a new house guest Hermione Weasley," she directed their attention to the woman.

Hermione awkwardly waved at the room in general, not really making eye contact with anyone.

"And Dinner will be served in two hours." Harry jumped down off her stool and made a beeline for Mina.

"Let him go Mina," Harry said sternly, she pouted but put the kitten on the floor and stood back. The little black fur ball grew. It got taller and bigger and less hairy – except for the Harry-mop of hair on his head.

Sirius Potter was the exact copy of his father. Hermione couldn't – nor ever had seen any Ginny in him. He was much more intimidating than Harry though; very tall – having not been starved as a child, and broad shouldered, and brooding. The man was glaring at Mina who smiled like she _wasn't _in danger and stormed off.

"Sirius!" Mina called after him and followed him from the room, Harry at her heels too.

"Where?"

"Harry needs to take her Wolfsbane tonight." Malfoy said.

"She's a-"

Hermione didn't finish the sentence because Malfoy was nodding.

"When My father kidnapped her, Greyback bit her. We deal with it." Draco said. "Sirius has been able to brew Wolfsbane since he was fourteen. It makes it much easier."

"Mr. Malfoy." Draco turned when he heard Mina's voice.

"It hasn't worked?" He asked. Mina nodded.

"I'll be back." Draco left the kitchen and followed Mina to the master bedroom.

They had had a reinforced room for her in the manor. When they had more rooms than people. She would take the Wolfsbane and just sleep through the night. Even if it didn't get here on time or Sirius was busy, they could shut the door and trust she wouldn't get out. But then the manor was full. So Harry got a cage which stayed in their room. Since moving to Grimmauld place they had trusted the Potion alone. But it hadn't worked.

"Ok." Draco shooed Sirius and Mina out of the room when he got there, then he cast unbreakable charms on everything. He reinforced the window and boarded it up and did the same with the door. Harry was sitting on the bed, watching him. She tried to insist on helping but hadn't needed too.

"Draco," Harry was still sitting on the bed. "If I get out, you kill me."

"You're not getting out. And I can handle your wolf form." Draco said lightly. He kissed her forehead and left the room, warding the door behind him.

Harry sat and waited for the full moon to rise.

When the change started it was painful. It felt like she was being stretched and her skin felt like a thousand pins were pricking her all over. Her teeth ached and he bones cracked and broke and reformed. Her fingers elongated and her nails ripped through them as they grew into claws.

She howled.

Draco was pacing in the hallway.

The wolf panted and looked around. Then snarled. It launched itself at the door. It could hear pacing, and startled hurried footsteps on the other side of the door and wanted to eat them.

Again and again it launched itself at the door, its claws and weight weakening the wards and the wood. When it finally broke through it was met by a man. Pale with blonde hair. His wand was extended in front and his hand was behind. Stopping a little girl from moving forward. Her hair was thick and red and her eyes were bright green. The most startling lime rings in them. She snarled a little, lifting her lip, revealing rows of pointed teeth. The man looked at her and questioned her. The wolf growled at him. He had her cub.

The girl darted around him faster than he could stop her and he called after her. She licked the girl when she was close and she nuzzled into her. The wolf growled at the man again.

Another man came behind her. His hair sandy and his eyes amber.

He was a wolf-child too.

"She'll be safe," the wolf-child said, he raised his wand and a barrier came up before her. The wolf and its part-human cub backed into the room and the door was sealed again.

"W-what just-?" Teddy caught Draco when he stumbled, mumbling and confused.

"The Lycan is a blood borne disease; its certain Prae has it," Teddy told him. "Not the true disease but a form of it. Scorpius was born in a 'pretend uterus' because of the potion so he wouldn't be affected. You know how the moon has affected my mood and temper, well Prae's been the same. And now, it's the first time she's been so close to Mum while the wolf wasn't subdued. It's called to her. She'll be fine."

Draco backed away from the door.

**3rd April 2025**

Harry woke up alone, Prae was no where in sight. the wards on the door had been removed but it was still closed. she could faintly hear paci

"Draco?" Harry called, the door bashed open and Draco ran in. He helped her up and she cuddled to him.

"Where's Prae?" Harry asked.

"She's downstairs." Draco said. "She changed back to normal but -"

"Mum!" Prae skipped into the room happily. She tapped Harry's hand to get her attention and Harry looked at her, then she changed, her nails became long and claw like, her teeth got sharp and pointy and her eyes became the emarald/lime circles they were last night. then she changed back.

"She can change between her Wolf form and human form at will." Draco said.

"Teddy calls me a baby wolf!" Prae announced proudly.

"It doesn't hurt honey?" Harry asked and Prae shook her head.

"Its fantastic, I can hear better and look!" Again her features changed and she dropped to all fours, running around the room faster than Draco could see but Harry kept up with her. she ran up the walls and over the roof and then dropped down in front of them.

"Baby wolf indeed," Harry said tiredly.

"Go and get some breakfast for your mother." Draco told Prae and he carried Harry into the bathroom. He took of the robe she was wearing and put her in the bathtub, running the water around her. He laid her down and she smiled at him.

"I'm not even worried." She smiled then yawned.

"There's nothing to worry about." Draco said rubbing her shoulders.


	30. Chapter 30

**4th April 2025**

"Sirius?" Mina said as well as signed. He was lying in bed, he didn't usually just do nothing.

"I should have had that potion perfect." He signed. She held his hands.

"Its not your fault and Prae is delighted to have super powers." Sirius nodded. "Sirius, you're doing them a favour its not your job and no one was hurt. Besides, She has a line of protection that no one will be expecting now." He smiled at her. "I love you," she said looking at his handsome face and expressive green eyes. It was the first time she had said it to him since the falling out they had in the manor. His smile got wider. Then he kissed her. She gasped as his lips touched hers and his well-worn, calloused hands pulled her to him.

She knew this was how he was saying 'I love you too'.

He ran a hand through her hair and his fingers twisted into a fist at the base of her neck, he very gently pulled her down onto the bed with her so he was lying on top of her. She moved her hands up his sides and over his shoulders, then bringing them back down to the hem of his shirt.

She ran her fingers over his waist and around to his back and he shivered, then growled and moved his lips to her neck. His hand moved down her side and over her breast, which caused her to moan. She pulled his shirt over his head as he tried undoing her buttons.

She pushed her bare chest against his and a soundless moan escaped his lips. She ran her fingers through his hair and he kissed her again.

**HP**

Rose was looking at James with disbelief.

"My mother ran off with a Potter kid?" She asked again and he just nodded.

"But it doesn't matter. The Order are doing nothing to stop us, we'll clean up the city and everyone will be light." He looked at her with his red eyes. They were in tower 42, alone. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him.

"My Lady," He said, his red eyes bright. "And my Love." He kissed her.

"They still escaped." Rose said, pushing him away. "And our population is dwindling. We cant keep halving the people in each building.

"It's a good thing," James said. "Already the very center of London is beautiful. The Protectors have the people light and under control."

"James the Order-"

"Aren't doing anything," James ripped open the front of her robe and groped her.

"James," She whined.

"Its easy," he said between leaving angry red marks on her neck. "We kill them."

"They're your family," Rose protested weakly.

"My family died a long time ago. I'll take care of the order love." James shut her up by flipping her around and grinding himself against her behind. Rose moaned.

"See my love," James hissed in her ear, "We are untouchable."

* * *

><p>"They're using half the population as victims so the other half have a reason to use light magic." Hermione said. "You're taken to a battlefield with a Protector of the Light," She explained to the group, "And he tells you which spells to use to counter the other dark wizards. Once you're completely light the victim you were practicing on dies and the dark wizard - who is actually another Protector of the Light gets away."<p>

"That's bloody horrible!" Seamus exclaimed angrily.

"Yes," Hermione said. "The other thing is, These Protectors of light - Dark Wizards, really dark wizards." Hermione looked at Harry.M"I think we're talking Voldemort dark here Harry." Harmione said to her darkly.

"James?" Harry asked, Hermione nodded. She shook her head.

"Alright," Harry stood before the group. "This is really good, you know during the initial upheaval of the Wizarding World there was little we could do now we have information and I have a plan." Harry leaned heavily on her cane as the other adults and Prae watched her.

"One," She said loudly, "I want a small team to infiltrate 42 and the Ministry," Harry looked at them all with serious eyes. Landing on Sirius, "Think you can do Polyjuice by the truckload?"

Sirius nodded, "I'll need to take a little group and raid some apothecaries and go back to Hogwarts," He signed, "But I can do it."

"Thanks Siri," Harry said. "I'll also need people trained in defense _and_ attack, I can do that, once we figure out when the raids are coming we need to stop them, rescue the civilians, remove the trace and send them into hiding. We also need to send a few parties around to the already light wizards and ask them to come back.

"Hermione, you could go after the councilmen?" Harry asked, Hermione nodded nervously.

"I can get some of Rose's hair as well, and we won't need James' not with Sirius here. They're so alike."

Hermione smiled shakily at the other twin who smiled back.

"I'll lead the Ministry group," Teddy offered. "You know it'll be best, I don't need polyjuice."

Harry locked her jaw. He was a truly unique metamorphagus; nothing like Tonks, his looks slid into place and changed at will. He was right - he didn't need polyjuice.

"Fine," Harry said. "Tomorrow morning I'll start defense training in the library, Lysander, you can do a little basic healing training as well?" Harry asked the young man who nodded happily.

"I'll help you," Hermione told him. "I'm fairly well-read on the subject."

"Done, Teddy, you and Draco can work on the ministry?" Teddy nodded along with Draco.

Harry turned at the heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Sirius?" She asked.

"I'll do the light side recruiting," he signed, "I can present myself as James - it'll lower the risk of being hexed on sight."

"We could even send 'Rose' with you." Harry signed.

"I was thinking Prae," Sirius signed back.

Harry set her jaw again.

"Shes _eleven._" She hissed.

"I know," Sirius signed, "And shes a lot more deadly than half the adults here and if we age her up a bit it'll save us so much polyjuice."

"I'll talk to Draco," Harry said, unhappy.

"There's one more thing," Sirius signed his hands moving so fast Harry barely caught it.

"Yes?" She said smiling at her ambitious son.

"Prae's - and Teddy's strand of the werewolf disease, I want to make you like that," he lowered his hands and waited.

"How?" Harry asked.

"I think if I mix their blood with the wolfsbane and some other stuff it'll make it permanant," He paused, "But I won't experiment on you."

"You want us to capture werewolves?" Harry said The realization dawning on her. He just nodded at her.

"I'll feed them and bath them and play with them I promise." Sirius signed, Harry snorted a laugh.

"We'll see," She said smiling. Sirius punched a victory fist in the air.

"I didn't say yes!" Harry yelled after him.

* * *

><p>Harry was not surprised to find Seamus, Bill, Charlie, Neville, Lee, Tasmin, Oliver, Maisy, Mack, Fred, George and Mina in the library waiting for their combat training. He taught them exactly like he had the DA but using much more sinister curses, aided by ex-auror Mina who knew far more dark arts than she probably should have.<p>

Fred and Mack struggled with the Patronus Charm and Neville had a lot of trouble with the darker spells Mina was showing him. Teddy recruited most of his spy's from the house's resident Slytherins; Scorpius, Blaise, Mina, Ferran and Draco who were scanning the newspapers and listening to Hermione who told them the most prominent names she remembered.

"We need to make sure they live alone," Scorpius was saying, "There's more than enough here to make sure everyone gets a person, but I want to integrate some 'New Employees' as well, people to be all new and clumsy and messing thing up as well as people who seem a little sus, it will throw security off a bit - it has to be done gradually and delicately though.

* * *

><p>"You're all spot on," Lyda told them later, "I can't at the moment see anything going wrong because of our plans. "Sirius you will need to be much scarier looking though."<p>

They all looked at the mute boy who had his eyes charmed to look like his twin's. For 'scary effect' as Mina termed it his teeth were slightly pointed and the deep red eyes were surrounded by almost bruise-coloured bags.

"Its pretty spot on." Hermione said, barely repressing her shudder.

"I have a spell that will temporarily place a dark Aura around you," Mina said, Sirius gave her a look. "Yes, yes Mr. Official dark wizard I don't care, James' eyes have gone red, even you, oh master of eternal darkness can't compete with how strong his aura would be."

"She's absolutely right Sirius, even your aura and the spell won't be enough, you have to look like you're going to hurt someone." Hermione told the pair.

"Everyone welcome the lady of light!"

Prae walked out regally, a gracious smile on her face and her long arms extended. the eleven year old had been aged seven years and really did look like a lovely young woman; not Harry's daughter at all.

"We can get her aura right though," Teddy said, "Sirius." Teddy braced himself.

"Pfft, Gryffiindors." Mina laughed at the put-out look on Teddy's face.

"She'll never have a light aura," Mina told the man, "shes part dark creature there's no point making her practice on you."

"Rose's hair is straighter than yours," Hermione said waving her wand and straightening out the tight curls, "Stand up straight, like you're better than everyone else."

It was odd, Harriet thought, seeing Hermione talk to this woman as if she was a child. They changed Prae's eyes to a dark brown and Hermione continued to coach Prae on how to act like Rose.

"Round one," Sirius said grabbing the hand of his little sister. Harry rushed forwards and hugged them both.

"Be careful." she whispered as her two kids apparated to a strangers house to offer their help.

Three days later in the early afternoon had Draco and Teddy dragging three unconscious men up the stairs of the first floor.

"This is Mr. Augustin Smith," Draco said, introducing the dark haired unconscious man. "Benson Donatello," He pointed to the man with red-wine coloured hair, Teddy was dragging the final man, One with ash blonde hair.

"This one is Tyrone Lynwood," He roughly dumped the man on the floor.

"All single, all have auras to match ours, all are fairly 'in with the crowd'." Draco summarized.

"Good job," Harry said, "and you're going to make some new people too?"

"Muggle hair," Draco said, "Just for two of us we still need one more ministry worker but these three start tomorrow and we'll capture Miss Wendy Lee as well so Annettie can join us."

"How's Sirius going?" Harry asked. Draco shrugged.

"I haven't heard anything," Draco told her, "he and Mina will be fine, there's nothing they can't handle in the forest and Hogwarts has been deserted for years."

* * *

><p>"Sirius," Mina had barely talked to her best friend since that first and only night together. They had flown a three hours on Harry's firebolt together and he hadn't said a word.<p>

"I'm busy Mina," he signed to her, she crossed her arms and followed him into the dungeon. The Marauders map was held tightly in his hand, until he shoved it at her and began pulling everything off of the shelves in the potions room cupboard.

"Sirius please I have to know-"

He grumbled and shoved the bag to the floor, his hands came up in front of her face and he signed so fast she nearly missed it.

"I'm going to die, Mina, you're better off letting go now or-" she grabbed both his hands and flattened them together like some kind of weak spider.

"If you die I'll mourn just as much either way Siri, you're my best friend and I love you for that as well as, you know, actually loving you. I want to take the risk - any of us could die at any moment and I _still b_elieve you're not going to go how you think you are."

he looked at her and she released his hands.

"You're really alright with this risk?" He asked slowly, his hands no longer in her face but in front of him.

"Yes," she whispered and before she could think of anything else he was against her and kissing her like his life depended on it.


	31. Chapter 31

**2nd December 2024**

"Are the Order a real enough _threat_ for you now James!?" Rose hissed at him, "Over half the light wizards are missing! The ministry is no-where near being fully aligned, you said over nine months ago you would take care of it!" Rose was pressed up against him, weakly beating a fist on his broad chest.

"They've suffered losses greater than us," James said "just last week Victoire Weasley was killed and Scorpius Malfoy injured, they've lost Oliver Wood and his two children, Ferran Daughtery - which was a big hit, they were hiding their women and children in her ancestral home which collapsed when the final heir died, I know they're weakest now, I know they're in Dad's old house, now is a good time to strike, they're weak; they have women and children with them."

"How do we get in?" Rose asked. James looked down.

"l'm sorry for not telling you before now, Grimmauld Place was never barred to me. I'll go in while they're sleeping and remove the anti apparition wards and brake out as many as I can."

"Three a.m. Tonight, James if Scorpius Potter doesn't die tonight I'll be unimpressed."

He kissed her cheek.

"It'll be done my lady and my love."

* * *

><p>Sirius was just getting home, he had four trunks full of shrunken potions ingredients floating behind him through the front door to Grimmauld place. Mina followed with two more trunks floating behind her. They got inside as silently as they could and stacked the trunks in the empty dining room which was near the front door.<p>

Sirius frowned when he heard movement upstairs, it was three am and no one should be awake this late. He looked at Mina, she had noticed it too and was staring upstairs as if she could see what it was if she looked hard enough.

There was another soft thump and Sirius could make out the light footfalls.

Sirius jerked his head upstairs at Mina and she nodded, Mina drew her wand in a single graceful movement and Sirius did the same, also pulling a few thin, long vials out of his robe pocket, held loosly between his fingers.

she went first, stepping so softly as not to alert anyone. He followed a few paces behind, checking over his shoulder every so often - just in case. On the first floor landing Sirius knew something was wrong and stealth aside ran past Mina up the stairs.

He knew who it was well before he saw his brother.

* * *

><p>Mina desperately resisted the urge to call after him as he ran past her. She just followed quietly, quickly checking each room as the went up the stairs.<p>

She stopped halfway, noticing Neville was sleeping oddly. The door swing open silently as she walked into the room.

"Professor Longbottom?" Mina held away the horrible feeling in her gut when she pushed the man back into his bed, despite his open, glassy eyes she had to check, make sure he really was dead, she checked his pulse; nothing.

Mina stepped back straight away and the first thing she did was apparate straight to Mrs Malfoy's room.

Harry and Draco woke with a start when Mina arrived. Wands were drawn and trained on her.

"There's someone in the house," she said quickly, "Professor Longbottom's dead, Sirius is searching for them now."

Harry was already up, pulling on the clothes nearest to her, Draco slipped on a shirt and the three adults were running through the halls.

Harry and Mina ended up in the same place Sirius was; in his bedroom, wand trained on James who had his wand pointed at Prae who was still sleeping.

"James," Harry said it with wonder and James' eyes went wide upon seeing his mother. "Put your wands _down_" Harry put her own wand away and stood with her hands on her hips, Mina kept her own wand trained on James.

The twins looked at each other before lowering their wands.

Mina looked between them, they were identical down to the gaunt, angry expressions on their faces. Same high cheekbones, same almond shaped eyes, same messy black hair. James was much taller than Sirius and while Sirius eyes were tired but bright and green, James' were crazed and blood red.

"We've all missed you, James." Harry whispered. His eyes went wide then pained then he brought his wand back up Harry stared at it bored.

"I thought I raised you better than this," she whispered. "The time you stuck around."

"Everyone hated me."

"No," Harry smiled at him. "You distanced yourself from us, you were being nasty to your brother. You nearly killed Teddy, that night you blew up the door."

Mina was surprised to see the shock and worry in James' eyes.

"I know you were wary of Draco, but to go as far as poison him?" Harry asked, "and look where that landed me. Come home James, everything will be ok."

James laughed then growled and made to apparate away, he looked so confused when he couldn't and it was the second Harry needed to pull her wand on him.

"Leave," she demanded, "you are not welcome here and I will not stop anyone from killing you of they see you."

James sneered at her.

"You're all going to die." He hissed, Harry growled and so did Prae.

The little girl had spiny, pointed teeth and her eyes were an unnatural bright green. Her nails were claws her hands looking more like long thin paws. As they watched her her nose and mouth lengthened and with a gnashing movement there was a deathly growl and the group froze as Harry began to change too.

"Run." the voice that came from her was not her own, it was deeper and gravelly and terrifying.

Mina pulled Sirius out of the room by the arm, Sirius grabbed James as he was pulled through. James yelled out when Sirius grabbed him but ran after his twin as Prae - now a little wolf, launched herself at him teeth bared.

"Get off!" as soon as the door was tightly shut Mina had her wand on James, Sirius - who hadn't let go of his twins arm had an uncorked vial against James' skin, the angry looking liquid a bump away from touching him.

James snarled at them, his own wand trained on Mina.

"You're a murder, James," Mina spat at him, "and a bad man, and I don't believe you can change."

James deepened his glare, Mina flicked her wrist.

"Drop it," she demanded, the wand fell from James' hand.

"_Incacerous."_ Mina said, concentrating, and thin shoelace-like ropes wrapped around James' skelekton-like fingers. He hissed at her.

"If you want to come back, Harry will have you, Draco will have you - all of your brothers and your little sister will have you straight away, no question. You know that." James stayed silent. "Rose can come back too," Mina whispered, "Professor Weasley misses her daughter." James hissed at her, his red eyes narrowing. "Today," Mina said harshly, "I'll let you go, the floo will be closed to you, and if I see you again, I'll kill you."

James smiled, it was so unexpected it took her off gaurd.

"You can't kill me," He said, "I'll kill you like I killed Longbottom, and Victoire, and Lorcana and your parents."

Mina growled at him, fury blazing behind her eyes and under her skin.

_"Avada Kedava!_" she said the words before she realised and it was only Sirius pulling James out of the way that saved him; the curse hit and blackened the hall wall. Sirius looked at her shocked.

Mina grabbed James' fallen wand and snapped it, then left, trusting Sirius to kick him out.

Mina bolted back to Professor Longbottom's room, taking due care and respect to close the mans eyes and arrange him on the bed before covering him with his bedsheet.

"Merlin be with you, Professor."

* * *

><p><em>"James Potter look at these O.W.L.S!"<em>

_James muttered some expletive under his breath at Aunt Hermione's angry tone._

_"You've actually gotten a troll grade, two? Jesus Christ!"_

_"Who?"_

_"Muggle thing, don't change the topic!"_

_"Sorry Aunt Hermione," He said without meaning, she gave him _that_ look."What? I'm just not good at school."_

_"What do you want to be after school?" Hermione asked him, she sat down on his bed across from him and grabbed his hand, the failure of a report card almost forgotten between them._

_"An Auror?" James said._

_"Like Harry?" Hermione asked, her eyes softening._

_James looked away._

_"Harry's dead."_

_"James." She said dissaproving. "She's still your parent and your family and she'll never stop hoping you go back."_

_"Doesn't matter."_

_"Anyway, you have to have the absolute highest grades to become an Auror and extreme discipline to make it through training. If you're serious about it, I will pull some strings and get you into your N.E.W.T. classes but you have to spend all this summer doing some serious study and-"_

_"Aunt Hermione, I'll just do something else."_

_"Just because you're not a Slytherin doesn't mean you should abandon ambition. James you would make a wonderful Auror. You just have to want it enough."_

_"I'll just do something else but," he said half-heartedly. She shook her head at him._

_"Well with these scores you just have to practice 'Hello, welcome to McDonald's what can I get for you?"_

_"Ouch," James said, a little insulted._

_"Well, what will you do with O.W.L.S. like this?" Hermione pointed to his report again._

_"Dunno."_

_"Think about my offer?" She asked him sincerely._

_He just nodded._

_"I'm going to get _all_ O's Mummy." They both turned when Rose's almost singsong voice interrupted them from the doorway. Hermione smiled and nodded at her daughter._

_"Yes dear, that's a wonderful goal to have." Hermione turned back to James._

_"Think about it?" Hermione asked again, "Or at least think about what you want to do and how you're going to get there."_

_Hermione stood and left him alone with Rose who was smiling smugly._

_"I bet I could do my O.W.L.S. better than you and I'm not even at school!"_

_"Shut up, twat," James snapped at the girl. He stood up and marched out of his room pushing Rose to the side roughly._

_"I'm going to be an Auror, Aunt Hermione." James told her without even looking her in the eye. "Will you help me?"_

_James was still looking slightly down and to the left of Hermione's face so he missed the brilliant and proud smile._

_"Of course sweety!"_

* * *

><p><em>James was all ready to re-sit the O.W.L.S. "Unofficially" at home, supervised by Aunt Hermione to prove to his teachers he would keep up with the N.E.W.T. work. She set him up in the study and set the timer, telling him she trusted him to 'play fair'.<em>

_As soon as she left he brought out the cheat-sheet he had hidden in the study a few days before and proceeded to cheat._

* * *

><p>"Till next time, brother," James apparated away as soon as they were outside the wards, Sirius knew he shouldn't have let him go but Mum would melt a cauldron if they killed him.<p>

Still this is war, isn't it? He had let a tiny bit of his potion touch James' skin. It would slow him down, at least. Ging back into the house he was greeted immediately by three covered bodies being floated into their makeshift graveyard in the backyard.

Sirius ran, as fast as he could to find Mina. She was with Dena, tears running down her face. Sirius hugged both of them gently to him.

"Fleur, Fred and Neville." She said quietly.

* * *

><p>George was standing in the muddy graveyard - the backyard of Grimmauld place was no longer a backyard - he stared blankly at the fencetree interface, not really seeing, not really feeling. He couldn't bring himself to watch his eldest son be buried, Roxy was clinging to him desperately. She was crying and screaming and sobbing and clinging to him with a death grip, as if she couldn't properly express how much it fucking hurt to lose a brother. He knew the feeling.

As much as he loved Fred 1, loosing his son hurt tenfold.

George choked out a single sob, putting his arm around Roxy and hugging her back just as tightly.

_Dad, dad, dad._

_Roxy what's wrong, sweetheart?_

_Dad, Fred- he's he's._

_Perce, will you tell me, what happened?_

_George swallowed the lump in his throat._

_He was fighting, the minister, me and him._

_There was a pause_

_There was a man, we were asleep, and I woke up because I needed to go the bathroom, so I left._

_I told the minister I was resigning._

_I must have woken Fred 'cause he really sleepily told me not to fall in._

_Perce you made a joke?_

_Yeah, thats what Fred said, He said 'You're joking, Perce! You actually are joking... I don't think I've heard you joke since you were –'_

_sounds like Fred._

_Yeah, but when I came back, all I saw was this green light - I didn't ... even know anything was wrong._

_Its alright Roxy get it out._

_He was so still.. his eyes and I... I... I just hugged him._

_I know sweetheart._

_He died?_

_Yeah, there was this explosion, and... he died._

George felt something deep inside him break and he picked up his daughter and held her too him and screamed, his face buried into her shoulder and her dark hair.

"Its okay daddy," She patted his head, her own voice thick and shaky. "We still have each other and Fred and Uncle Forge are together pranking Teddy's parents, and Mr. and Mrs Potter - I bet Lucas is helping them."

"They sure are sweety," George said, still hugging Roxy tight to him. "Sure are."


	32. Chapter 32

"Mum?" Scorpius and Sirius cracked open the door to Sirius' old room where a little werewolf bounded over to them; acting like a puppy.

"Can you change back, Prae?" Scorp asked, the wolf nodded and quickly turned into their red-haired little sister.

"Mum's stuck though."

All too late did the two men realize an out-of-control werewolf Harry was stalking them.

"_Incacerous!" _Scorpius was quick with the spell and they dragged Prae out of the room.

"I know of something to help her, at least until we can figure this out," Sirius was signing as fast as he could, Scorp nodding along.

"It was a prototype collar to control werewolves- never mind, I have to go into the old ministry to get it, I'll take you with me, be back in a couple hours hopefully."

Sirius didn't even wait for Scorpius to nod before he shot off towards the floo.

* * *

><p>Lyda was carefully checking Remmy - Teddy's son, he was due for some sort of shot, Ly knew which one. Teddy shuffled nervously on his feet.<p>

"He seems fine, Ted," Lyda said calmly. Teddy breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good," Teddy said smiling. He picked up Remmy and cuddled him in his arms for a moment.

He was so focused on Remmy he missed Lyda collapsing to the floor, he did hear the loud bang her head made when it connected with the exam table.

"LYSANDER!" Teddy cast a cushioning charm on the floor and placed Remmy down, rushing around the table to where Lyda lay.

She had a pulse but didn't appear to be breathing and her eyes were wide open, the creepy prosthetics facing different directions and the left one was cracked. she was twitching and small, terrified screams excaping her mouth along with ragged breaths.

"LYSANDER!" Teddy screamed again, this time the dark haired boy ran to him immediatley.

"Its a vision," Lysander said, "and a strong one." He indicated teddy should lift her up, which he did, and laid her on a bed. Lysander strapped her arms and legs down with a quick spell and went to check her head and eye where she had hit. Teddy went back to his son and picked him up.

* * *

><p>"Shit man this place is creepy." Scorpius was following him looking around the circular room with intrest and a little fear. Sirius didn't reply; he was trying to remember how to navigate this damn place. If he went straight to his lab he would come back through the death chamber and take the fourth door to the right after the room spun.<p>

He waved to Scorp who followed him into the Brain room, the Time Hall and finally to Sirius's lab. He grabbed all of his research bits and pieces and shrunk them in their box, slipping it into his pocket.

"Alright, through here now?" Scorp was standing by the door they came out, which would open into the hall of prophecy from this direction at this time of day. Sirius shook his head, pointing to the second door in the room.

Scorp was closest so went in first, Sirius right behind him.

"My fucking good luck!"

Both men jumped at the sound of a strangers voice in the room. A man stood before them in a burgundy cloak.

"I jest," The man said, "I have this place alarmed, I knew your office leads off from the Death Chamber."

"James." Scorpius whispered. The man drew his hood back and smiled at his two brothers.

* * *

><p>"I can't..." Lysander was looking at his sisters convulsing body, she was just getting worse and worse and he couldn't wake her. Teddy had sent Remmy away with Mrs. Parkinson and was helping him with Lyda, holding her still on the cot so she wouldn't hurt herself.<p>

Lysander lifted his wand and drenched her with ice water again, slapped her and even tried to use legilimency - which was nearly impossible anyway with no eye contact but couple that with the god-like discipline Lyda controlled her mind with hewas never going to succeed anyway.

"Shit, we have to wait this one out." Lysander said, lost. Teddy nodded to him and continued to hold down the convulsing woman.

* * *

><p>"What do you think you can achieve with this?" Scorpius said, "Look at our world, missing, hiding, scared."<p>

"In Hogwarts," James said Lazily, "Once you two are dead we're going to take back the population, start from scratch. Re-make magic.

"Mum would be dissapointed in you," Scorpius said.

"My mums dead."

"She would still be dissapointed in you," Sirius signed, "Ginny was a good woman, would have been a great mother, but she would be ashamed to call you her son."

"If I get the chance, cripple, I'm going to cut you're hands off."

Sirius flipped him off.

"_Avada Kedava!"_ Sirius easily dodged the curse and the two began to duel with fierce and unrestrained hatred. Unforgivables flew from both wands.

Sirius knew his time was up, he would fall through that veil, and break Mina's heart, Leave Teddy and Mina alone with small children, Leave Scorpius to kill James once and for all.

"Remember Lyda's vision, brother?" James goaded. He was fast with his wand and dark curse after dark curse spewed forward. Sirius noticed the spasm in his left arm from the poison.

Fluidly reaching into his robe he pulled out three of his vials, throwing the first towards James. It cracked at his feet and ate away the stone, ate away Jame's shoe and James screamed as it began on his flesh.

It was a superficial wound, but he bet it stung like a bitch.

* * *

><p>"James!"<p>

Teddy and Lysander both whipped their heads around at Lyda's scream.

"Department of Ministry, Sirius, It was James, it's James, James is the hooded man!"

She leaned over the edge of the bed and vomited violently, Lysander already at her side clearing the sick and patting his younger sister's back.

* * *

><p>Sirius was hit with an acid green spell, square in the chest just as he fired off a stunning hex. He never saw if his curse hit because he was falling. He shut his eyes, knowing this was the time he was to fall through the veil - after all that work to find out what was behind it he finally would.<p>

But he hit stone, and his sore hands scrambled at the edge, he felt a chill go over him and he looked into behind the veil.

It was a stark white train station, without trains or people. He briefly caught a glimpse of something dark under a bench before he was pulled away from Kings Cross.

"Sirius!"

His ears were ringing so the yell sounded so far away, and his vision swam but he was able to make sense of his surroundings, dark and light, a head - Scorpius' ridiculously bright Malfoy hair was in his face.

"Hey Scorp," Sirius signed his tired hands barely making the movements.

"You crazy bastard!" Scorpius hugged him.

The looked over at James body on the floor some meters away.

"I wish it wasn't like this," Scorpiu said, pulling Sirius to his feet. Sirius nodded.

"Should we take the body to Mum?" Scorpius asked, again Sirius nodded.

The brothers went over to the brown haired man and each touched a shoulder, but then there was a lurch, a tug behind the navel like a portkey - exactly like a portkey and the two men and the body of their brother dissapeared.

Sirius was the first one to recover from the unexpected trip and was also the first to identify their location.

"Forbidden forest?" Scorpius asked him, still holding onto the corpse.

Sirius waved his wand at James and transfigured the body into a ring - temporarily.

Sirius caught Scorp's eye and placed a finger over his lips, Scorpius nodded.

"Where's James?"

It had come from a little deeper in the forrest, and, always quick with his wand Scorpius was already casting Dissilusionment charms on both of them.

They stepped to the slide of the clearing and both remained still as two redheads came into the clearing.

"He's not here, Hugo," Rose said to her little brother. "We wait two hours then summon him again, then we'll start looking for him."

"What if we can't find him?"

"Then we go forwards as planned."

They wandered in the clearing for only a moment or too before leaving. Sirius and Scorpius looked at the barely visible outline of each other.

Scorp hissed, not even a word and Sirius saw him silently moving away, and followed.

The two men only went as far as outside the Hogwarts wards where the Light Councilmen and Rose wouldn't hear them then they apparated away from Hogwarts.

"SIRIUS!" There was a loud bang as soon as the door creaked open and Harry launched herself down the first floor stairs into the hall of Grimmauld place. Her cane rattled down the stairs after hear and she launched herself at Sirius.

He smiled at her sadly and returned the bone crushing hug, aware that she was reaching behind him and reassuringly touching Scorpius' face.

"Lyda had an attack and it was so bad and she said the ministry and I thought, I thought-"

Sirius hugged his mother tighter.

"We're ok mum," Scorpius reassured her, "James is dead."

Harry went white and just nodded, Sirius grabbed her hand and led her upstairs.

"Wait," Scorpius said, "I have to know how you survived that killing curse, Sirius, and the veil? And James, I thought..."

"I'll tell you later," Sirius signed, gently nodding his head to a distraught Harry. Scorpius just nodded silently.

Sirius led his mother up the stairs into the little tiny hidden sitting room on the second floor. Without an order the old house elf popped into the room, putting a tea tray on the little table.

"Thank you Kreature," Harry murmured to the old elf.

"Sit, now," Harry said angrily. Sirius obeyed.

"Give me your wand, now," she snapped. Her thin hand reached out in front of her. Sirius slowly slipped the 13 inch elder wand from his robe.

"And the stone and the cloak."

Once the deathly hollows were back in the hands of the first master of death Sirius began his explanation.

"I never meant to kill James, I cast a stunner I-"

"I can't think about that right now, but I understand Sirius and there's no point feeling guilty about it."

"I knew that vision hadn't gone away and I was scared then when Scorp said James may have had Horcruxes-"

"You went to destroy them?" Harry looked at her son with pride and relief. Choosing not to think about James just yet.

"There was only one." Sirius dropped his hands and reached into his pocket, pulling out a fammiar ruby-encrusted sword hilt. The blade was completely gone and the metal was twisted and charred.

"Thats the last of the founders relics, except the Storting hat." Harry grabbed Sirius hand and pulled him in for a hug. "I'm so proud of you Siri."

"Theres one last thing Mum," Sirius had placed the broken sword on the small table and pushed it to the floor, grabbing his 11 1/4 inch English oak wand and enlarging the table. It took up most of the space pushing the two little chairs out of its way. Harry jumped back startled. Sirius pulled the ring from his finger and placed it on the table.

"Thats-"

He spared only a second to brace himself and removed the spell from the ring.

Sirius and Harry both closed their eyes as the body transformed before them and when they looked again James lay before them. Red eyes staring unseeing at the ceiling.

Sirius moved to his mother's side straight away and caught her when her knees gave out. She let out a broken sort of moan and just stared at her son.

Sirius reached out and closed his twin's eyes.

"Thank you for bringing him back-"

Sirius just nodded.

_A handsome young man in a yellow sweater looked like a ghost but not was looking at him with pleading eyes "take my body back to my father!"_

Sirius ignored the little bit of Harry's dream and continued to hold her. She looked as if she didnt know what to do.

Ayah came in at that moment and without mo second thought took Harry into his arms. He spared a glance for Sirius.

"I'm glad you survived it son," Draco gently brushed Harry's hair out of her face. "This is war, there was going to be losses and James made his choice."

Sirius just nodded.

"I love you Siri," Draco said kindly, "Scorp is waiting for you." Sirius quickly signed back 'I love you too' and left the room.

"Siri!" Scorpius was in the hall. "Prae changed mum back!"

Sirius started at the odd comment then remembered the reason for the trip to the DoM anyway. He just nodded sadly.

"Look, here's the plan, were going to go straight into Hogwarts and I'm going to activate my coins, then we see who's with us and get ready for a stand-off."

"Simple yet effective!" Was Teddy's helpful input. "We have two hours."

Sirius nodded his understanding and Scoprius gently led Prae away from her brothers.

"It's so funny watching her wolf," Teddy said looking at the little girl, "You ask her something about it, like how does mum change back? And she just huffs and tells you its the simplest thing ever, then mum changes back and she's in the hospital where Lyda's having a vision seizure screaming about you dying. I'm talking I'll shut up."

Sirius smiled at his brother.

"James - it's not fair is it?" Sirius shook his head. Teddy stayed silent for a long moment.

"He made his choice," Teddy told Sirius again. "He told us over and over we weren't his family anymore and-"

"It's still not fair, he was such a good brother," Sirius's signing was sloppy and he had begun to cry. "Whatever made him mean and evil it wouldn't have been helped, he... He made his choice."

Teddy nodded and put a steady hand on Sirius' shoulder.

"And it was an accident?" Teddy asked hesitantly. Sirius nodded.

"I got lucky, he cast the killing curse at me just as I stunned him, but,"

"The Deathly Hallows?" Teddy asked in understanding and Sirius nodded. "The Death Stick as they call it."

* * *

><p>Harry and Draco stared at the body of their son.<p>

"Harry you have to understand this was not your fault, if we forced his hand it would've been worse and we always tried to bring him back to us-"

"But maybe if-"

"Don't do that to yourself love. We can't deal with this right now there's a battle coming up, I want you to stay here with Prae,"Even as he said it he knew Harry would disagree.

"There's something I think you need to do." Draco slipped the resurrection stone off the counter of the bench and slipped it into Harry's hand gently. She looked up at him with solemn eyes.

"This is the last time," He whispered, "you can see them all and see its alright. But this is the last time and Harry," Draco paused and gently brushed his lips against hers.

"I love you," She said quickly and quietly.

"I love you too."

Harry's hands shook more than ever as she flipped the stone around in her fingers.


	33. Chapter 33

Scorpius was waiting for Sirius in the kitchen the house, he was unusually quiet, Prae was sitting on the kitchen table.

"We're going to be flooing directly to the great hall," Scorp told him. "Everyone else is there but Llaria and Pansy are coming back once we sort through all the coin people. We have as long as it takes Rose to realize James isn't coming, we need to get people sorted and have a fully functional battle pan - we're aiming to capture as many of them as we can but…"

"You want me to kill the dark wizards?" Sirius signed.

Scorpius nodded, "me, you, Dad, Teddy and Mum, Uncle Blaise, Lyda, Anniette and Mina."

"Anyone else?" Sirius asked with a funny sort of smile.

"We're going to let them know if they want to - rules of war and all that - but there are others who are committed. No one is being forced to use dark magic." Sirius nodded. "We're just waiting for Mum now," Scorpius said as Draco walked into the room.

"Let me come!" Prae called from the table. Her nails were little black points and her teeth were little and sharp - like puppy teeth. Her eyes their acid green colour.

"No, Prae," Draco said, "I know you're more than capable of protecting yourself but that's not the point - you're far too little to be in a battle, and your mother loses control of her wolf when you're in danger." Draco hugged his red haired daughter to him, she pouted but didn't argue. "She's upstairs," Draco told the others, "She'll only need a minute."

* * *

><p>Harry's hand was holding the little black stone so tightly her knuckles went white. When she opened her eyes the shade of six people were before her.<p>

"Mum!" The sight of Lucas brought tears to her eyes and she reached out for him only to have her hand pass uselessly through the mist. Sirius - her godfather - came forward and put a hand on the little boy's shoulder.

"Uncle Sirius is looking after me mum."

Remus Smiled at her happily and she knew he was proud of her, and more importantly Teddy and Remmy. None of them looked alarmed that she was female or that Lucas' father is Draco Malfoy and the thought brought more tears to her eyes. She felt seventeen again.

Behind Lily and James stood James. He was not looking at her. Lily smiled and held James' hand looking at Harry with happy tears in her eyes, James smiled at her too.

"You never have a dull moment, do you Harry?"

Harry chuckled a bit at that.

"Jay?" Harry called her son's name and just waited. He opened his bright blue eyes and looked at her sheepishly.

"Nan and Pop had a talking to me," he said, Sirius barked a laugh and Remus hid a smile behind his hand. "I'm sorry dad, I was so selfish when I was younger and everyone but you and Draco would tell me about light and dark and how Draco was a dark wizard and I just believed them, I was so jealous of Sirius and Teddy - I deserved what I got. Gods, Sirius, I could've killed him, I did kill people - I deserve a lot worse than this. I'm so sorry."

"James, you were misguided and made some _very_ wrong choices, but you didn't deserve to die, no one deserves that. I wish-"

"I wish I came to my senses sooner too, just make sure Sirius doesn't blame himself and to everyone I hurt, I'm sorry I can't"

It was Lily who comforted her crying grandson, if a bit stiffly.

"He can never forget about what he did, who he killed and -" Remus paused, he was talking quietly enough so James wouldn't hear him. "Don't think one goes unpunished in the afterlife, he's paying dearly for what he did."

Harry nodded. "I miss you all, Lucas," Harry looked at her son, "I love you so so much, and Daddy loves you so much, always."

Lucas nodded vigorously as if there was no surer truth in the world.

"I love you too Mum, and Dad, all of you."

"I love you too Dad," it was James who spoke, a half smile on his face, the adults nodding in agreement.

"I miss you all," Harry said quietly, and without any further goodbyes, she dropped the stone on the carpet.

* * *

><p>Harry walked into a crowded kitchen looking for Sirius straight away.<p>

"Sirius?"

Every few minutes the floo was flaring up, emitting children and adults of all ages into Grimmauld place, the people who had been hiding in the castle. Llaria Zabini was deftly calming and organising them.

Sirius was at Harry's shoulder as soon as she called for him and he handed he a vial of blue potion.

"It's for your knee," He signed, "it will last seven hours - you won't need your cane but you'll have to stay off it for three days straight afterwards."

Harry nodded her understanding. "Scorp and Draco?" She asked.

"Already at Hogwarts, we're the last to go through."

Sirius and Harry hugged an unworried Prae goodbye and went into the green flames.

Harry shut her eyes as she was spun so it was even more uncomfortable when she was forcibly spat into the great hall by the floo network. She fell over her robes spectacularly and her cane went clattering to the ground.

"Mrs Malfoy!" Mina had caught her and barely managed to keep them both standing, her wand in her hand summoning the fallen cane, "Are you alright?"

Harriet nodded and accepted the cane, pulling her robe back onto her shoulders and standing up straight. Mina had ran, as soon as she saw Sirius and was in his arms in moments. It was like a movie, he hugged her so tightly her feet rose off the ground and she grabbed either side of his face and kissed him with bruising force.

Draco was behind her with his hand on the small of her back. She leaned against him.

Their son and his partner had only kissed for a moment but were now standing inseparable. Harry was reminded of Remus and Tonks then forcefully pushed that thought out of her mind.

They wouldn't lose anyone tonight.

"They are _so_ getting married," Teddy helpfully supplied and it made both Harry and Draco smile.

"The plan is to divide and capture!" Scorpius's voice was barely audible over the crowd. He was walking around the room repeating the plan.

"All children and non-fighters are instructed to evacuate, 12 Grimmauld Place, Parkinson's Manor and Biancardi Estate are all places the Order of the Pheonix have used as safe houses, there are Order representatives at each and you are asked to follow their instructions!"

Very slowly the crowd thinned and their fighters were ready, Harry looked around. Already thinking how to best do this.

"Everyone must form groups! the stronger wizards will draw away the dark wizard and the weaker will capture the light."

The order members who were willing to kill the dark wizards were all partnered with a civillian, Harry ended up with Seamus Finnegan, who looked nervous but was still smiling.

Scorpius' voice didn't stop, directing and reminding all of the people in the hall. It wouldn't be as big as the battle of Hogwarts, with only a fraction of the wizarding world left alive and able to fight but there was no doubt it would be bloody.

Seamus was sitting with Mina, the man like a father to her since Dean's death, Harry stood by Draco's side, he was clinging to her arm. Sirius and Scorpius were discussing strategy.

"What about the Room of Requirement?" Harry said suddenly, they knew already that the room could deposit people all over the castle at random. Both Sirius and Scorpius's heads shot up at the suggestion.

"We could watch the map," Scorpius said, the Marauders map clutched in his hand.

"And send out scouts on brooms," Sirius signed.

"James knew about the room, but theres no guarantee he ever told Rose, and no gaurantee she'll remember it."

"How many of them are there?" Mina asked coming over.

"Forty main ones, twenty dangerous dark wizards and maybe 1000 supporters." Sirius signed.

"Ok, we're outnumbered two to one," Mina said, Scorpius looked at her incredulously, "our best bet is to thin them out, we should really try to minimise deaths of the followers, its the dark wizards were after and even then if we can maim and capture-"

"We block them completely, and things they're breaking through but we control when and where they get in, from the room we can send out small teams either side of each group-"

"Too complicated!" Mina snapped at Scorpius, "you're acting like we're dealing with six hundred trained Aurours!"

Scorpius glared at her again.

"She's right Scorp," Draco told him, "These are family men and women's, not trained soldiers-"

"But dad-"

"Shut up!" Harry almost growled at them. "Scorpius, yes many of the older wizards and witches here are war hardened but more of them are still inexperienced, we need to _capture_ Rose Weasley, once the see how vulnerable and human she is they give up."

Harry stood on one of the house tables.

"Listen up!"

The crowd quieted down and turned to face their hero.

"Rose Weasley is weak but overconfident and she's lost James now!" Harry called out. "It's a big loss for their side through an almost undefined reign of killing and terror. There's less than half of the wizarding world left, hundreds of orphans and parents who have had to bury their children, but after tonight - no more, and I'll tell you now, this is not a war against light and dark, this is not a war between purebloods and Muggleborns.

Harry pulled Mina and Draco and Hermione by her side, Sirius and Scorpius, Luna and Blaise.

"A Muggleborn, pure blood, a half blood, light and dark and neutral wizards, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Slytherin all on the Hufflepuff Table and could you tell me who is who? What Rose Weasley is fighting for is not real, it's a type of person but she cannot force people to be light - especially since only the death of thousands can _make_ people light. We are fighting for our right!" Harry paused and looked around at the group. "We deserve freedom and choice and a better way of life than what this false lady has given us!"

The crowd cheer along with Harry.

"We will be deploying groups of fifty at a time from the seventh floor, to different parts of the castle. We let them in, hurt them how we can before they even get here and we capture Rose Weasley!"

The crowd cheerd again, Harry was helped off of the table by Draco who gently brushed her cheek.

"I love you, you know," he whispered gently to her, making her smile wide. "You extraordinary person."

"Mother knows best," Scorpius said moodily, recognizing he was no longer in charge, Mina stood by Sirius side their hands tightly clasped.

"You got de-throned pretty quick there boy." Scorpius mock scowled as Annettie stood by him, Harry and Mina and Draco were loudly directing people toward the room of requirement, Sirius rushing ahead to get the room ready.

"You're a prat," he said lightly, "with a big mou-mmpf"

Scorpius' eyes went wide and he pushed the improper and impulsive girl off of him.

"Annettie!" He cried, getting an amused snort from Teddy who was off directing someone somewhere.

"What Scorpy dear?" Annette asked, her hand was on his neck, her other arm around his neck and her body was pushed against him. Her eyelids fluttered as she glanced at his lips, her own in an indecently sexy and mocking smirk. "I regret not doing that sooner," She whispered, standing on her tiptoes again her lips brushing his as he talked, he knew he should have but he didn't want to push her away. Scorpius pushed his lips against hers this time and the kiss was wicked and searing and _wonderful_

"Bout bloody time!" Teddy yelled at them and Scorpius pulled away.

"You better live," Anettie said almost aggressively. Scorpius just smiled.

* * *

><p>The room was massive so not as packed as he thought it would be. The main entrance was floor to ceiling high (12 foot) and about three doors wide (a feat seeing as the doors of Hogwarts were already wider than a regular house door). Around the edge of the stone room were other archways leading down corridors. The stone above carved with the destination of each corridor. People were quiet and seemed organised - in the most disgorganised way, you couldn't pick out how they were sorted but it seemed to make sense.<p>

Everyone was tense. Unnaturally quiet. There were large windows on the outside-facing wall which showed the sun setting over the forbidden forest - the forest that now concealed their foe.

The castle wards had already been reinforced and booby traps - almost exclusively by George - set.

And now they wait.


	34. Chapter 34

Lilly Potter was in her living room at Godrics Hollow, she was forever amused by what people's idea of heaven was like. There was a lovely big fireplace along the south-facing wall and on the east facing wall were hundreds of photographs.

Each one was quite large but not overly so and depicted a scene. Like a television screen.

The largest by far was in the center and was her Harry's frame. She was standing besides Mr. Malfoy in the hagwarts hall, his arm wrapped around her waist and her hand wrapped around the head of her cane. Just below that was the frame that showed her Granddaughter Prae and Scorpius was next to hers, Sirius Potter one above that.

Sirius Black was on the lounge with Lucas, James was on the other lounge and they were all talking in hushed voices. Jay - her grandson James - was sitting in his preferred spot away from the others, leaning against the wall with his head down. He did that an awful lot, but it was his punishment. For being an awful person in his life, he had to _think_ about that in death.

Lily loved heaven, it was whatever you wanted it to be - and hers was life, life with her family always frozen in this eternally happy day. And it was marvelous. She and James and even Sirius had been dead a good long while now and they were never bored or sad or unhappy. They were lovely and bright and, ironically, more alive than Lily had ever felt in the war.

You could visit anyone else's heaven, through Floo, or you could visit the mortal realm as you wished to - they were not ghosts - but they could be 'there'.

Sirius laughed his barking laugh and hugged Lucas. The boy was like the son he never had, he was perfectly capable of being a well mannered, charming young boy but always, always chose to be exactly like Sirius himself.

"I have a question, Uncle Siri."

Sirius hmmmm-ed at the boy while he continued to re-thread his shoelaces.

"Are you happy I died?"

Sirius looked up from where he was trying to get the lace without the aglet - that plastic bit on the end- through the hole. It was far too frayed.

"No, and yes." Sirius said without much thought. "No ones happy about being dead," Sirius said, "specially since we all died long before our time, but it was meant to be, I guess," he shrugged, "I would never pick any other afterlife than this one, hmm?" Sirius clarified for Lucas.

"I wish mum was here though, but I don't want her to be dead, it was so nice seeing her again, and she could see me."

Sirius smiled at his charge.

"Yeah, it always is nice seeing her, but think of it like this. Years could go by in the mortal world and its like a blink to us, yeah?" Sirius said, Lucas nodded his understanding, "well your mum is 44 years old now, and she'll live - naturally - to be like 150, so that's really only 100 more years to wait, but that will go by in no time at all for us.

"So I just have to wait a little while and she'll be with me?"

Sirius nodded happily, "clever man, clever man, all your brothers will be around here soon enough, we just have to wait and they'll come to heaven too."

Lucas smiled up at him with utter adoration and excitement.

"I can't wait to be a happy family again."

Sirius looked at Lily, who - unknown to James - was almost always staring at Jay.

Sirius himself looked at the boy, a spitting image of his father and grandfather and James' father before that. Potters.

But he needed to be punished for the people he killed and the people he hurt and the people he betrayed and it was even crueler to have him among the family he chose to leave behind for a hellish life.

It was funny how people were able to select their punishment and their heaven and Hell. Remus' house for example was tiny - just him and Tonks. Tt was bare with only two rooms but eternally cluttered and it was in the center of a dense but by no means dark or murky forest.

Remus's wolf loved it.

He and Tonks were nothing like James and Lily, who lived their little lives always near each other. Sirius and Jay and Lucas always hanging around. Tonks was usually between her Mother and fathers 'slice of heaven' which was an extensive garden. Remus was usually here.

Friends forever eat your heart out.

Sirius musing landed on his great nephew again - he _was_ James' brother shut up - and he idily wondered how long the boy would be punished, or at least how long until he would be able to pretend everything was alright.

James was here as part of his punishment but also as part of his mothers/fathers Heavan. Harry would - there was no word for the sort of euphoria Harry would experience when she saw her Heavan - well that's exactly what it was wasn't it?

"Jay?" Sirius called the boy over and he stood up and sat next to the dead marauder.

"Mum hasn't come - Ginny I mean, I can see how much I hurt dad and Draco by using her as an excuse to hate me but I'm not even apart of her Heavan."

"Well," Sirius said, not feeling bad for or the need to console the boy. "It's amazing isn't it, I can think of a million thing I deserve more than to 'think about what I've done' but Harry's so deserving of a heaven with me in it despite my hell - she loves me so much she actually saved me from myself."

"Some profound conclusions there Jay. I'm sure theres a point where your punishment's enough and you will be allowed Heavan-"

"I think genocide and child molestation is the only thing that deserves to be punished forever."

"You only did genocide right?"

"Yeah, well Rose, but I waited till she was of age."

"You're first cousins!"

"I know, it's wrong, but I love her, I think being with her is the only thing I don't regret - I can't."

Sirius still could not feel bad for the boy as his eyes screwed up in pain as he thought of his former life - even something he convinced himself was ok (despite the incest he did nothing wrong) caused him this much pain.

"Big thoughts," Sirius said simply. James nodded and went to his corner.

"Come on Luke, I'll give you a one on one!" Sirius shouted. Pushing James' troubles aside as easily as anything and following his god-grandson into the quiddich pitch out the back.

* * *

><p>James was not allowed to forget, or to forgive himself. He could feel the pain of each of the losses like a personal loss. He could feel the physical pain of the torture he had done. He could see the unfailing support of Harry and Draco and his brothers - even Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron and Pop. But he could still see the influence he had on Rose. How her light aura poisoned his brain and he poisoned Roses (albeit already quite poisoned brain) and then how he so simply submitted to dark magic. Granted, she had pressed some of her potions on him, dark potions, love potions, any potion that took her fancy, but he stuck around after the fact.<p>

He wanted to die and never feel again. Irony was he was already dead.

Harry had his moments of badness and Jay could see the little punishments he would receive for it - Sirius, Lily, James, Remus and even Lucas all had their moments of 'hell'.

The point was everyone got what they deserved.

But Harry's heaven included him, he was here because she loved him _that_ much and James couldn't understand that. Couldn't accept it and through some cruel but no less deserving irony that bloody _thought_ pained him too.

When Victorie and Fleur came to visit Remus and Lucas on occasion, James was so consumed with guilt he was left physically ripping out chunks of skin with his fingernails and screaming to no one, he just couldn't cope with the pain.

And he would do this in the middle of the living room and none of them saw or heard it. He would be removed from their heaven but remain in his hell and left unable to cope with his feelings.

And all of this pain because one day he decided he was too grown up to help his crippled twin during his first week of school. It was so much more important he was cool for his friends; Draco stayed the bad guy and he ran away from home and was getting special treatment from his aunt the history professor.

And one day he believed his own bullshit and this is where he ended up. For the infinite time in a lifetime James was consumed by burning, immense, frightening, emotional pain.

* * *

><p><em>In all our hearts there is a garden<em>

_Where we go when we die._

_And now I tell you the happy reason_

_Why at this funeral, you should not cry._

_Because this garden in our heart_

_It's the only place a man can fly._

_So please don't despair when someone has gone,_

_Because they're safe in their own heart._

_Isn't that lovely? Does it make you smile?_

_That some beautiful people with a beautiful life_

_have made themselves a life worth while._

_But my friend we don't all pass the trial._

_In this world there are rapists and killers_

_and arsonists and terrorists and and other such villains._

_Its pain and suffering in store for them_

_be it physical or mental they cannot pretend_

_it is undeserved; no mistakes in this law_

_no trial no bail your sentence is sure_

_I suggest you live a righteous life_

_or when you're gone you will be in strife._


	35. Chapter 35

The Forrest suddenly erupted as a thousand witches and Wizards all in flame-colored robes hurled themselves towards the caste.

"TRAITORS AND DARK WIZARDS!" Rose Weasley's accusing voice rang across the charging crowd. The wards made them pause, the front lines of civilians were being incinerated when they attempted to cross.

It slowed the crowd, wands being drawn or directed towards the barely visible layer of protective magic.

"They're just people," Harry said looking out the window, "this is no big force or a trained army..."

"It's a mob," Draco said.

The wards held for twenty minutes but with so many people attacking they really stood no chance.

The crowd advanced on the castle in a mad rush, eventually spreading through the corridors exactly as they planned.

"Ok," Draco was furiously tracking the mob of light supporters through the many levels of Hogwarts.

"Move out!" He ordered, the twelve groups all surged towards their door, Harry kissed her husband before following her Godson and Seamus towards the Great Hall.

Draco watched each group depart the opening sealing over and forming fireplaces connected via floo within. The map was spread before him as he watched the twelve groups of wizards and witches - his family included converge on twelve of the eighteen, much larger groups of fanatics.

Harry and the others were in the great hall now, beginning to spread to the entrance hall and up the Grand Staircase. Draco flipped to the third floor where the first two groups smashed together in a jumble of names and inky footprints.

* * *

><p>Sirius had his wand safely stowed in the inner pocket of his robes, in his hands were test-tube shaped potions vials, each half full and each unstoppered.<p>

He managed to make them float as he grabbed the jaw of one of Weasley's dark wizards and with a swift and far to practiced motion slid the contents of the vial in his mouth. The man spluttered, then his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell fast asleep.

"Incacerous!"

Ropes from Mina's wand wrapped around the Protector of Light inbetween her furious battle with another, but he was already moving. With a scilence and practiced grace that was inherited by all the unspeakables - something to do with being around the veil, it was unexplained - Grabbed the hair of his next victim and administered the strong sleeping (more like indefinite unconsciousness) potion to him.

Sirius did this again and again, sneaking up on Dark, light and any other wizard in between.

"Sirius," Mina bumped his shoulder lightly and whispered his name. The crowd of the two clashing groups were thinning now some dead, most unconscious and bound. Smaller groups breaking off and fleeing. "Do you have your little potions thingy?" Sirius pulled her into an alcove, disgaurding the ten empty vials and opening his leathery robe (the sleeves were usual cloak material, he wasn't that cliche.)

Inside sat about twenty large syringes, all filled with poisons and sleeping potions.

"Creepy." Mina whispered, they quickly checked the hall and then ran out together, looking for Rose Weasley.

The next large group they came across was Scorpius's group and Rose. They were on the seventh floor, not far from Gryffindor tower. Sirius immediately covered himself with the invisibility cloak and slipped inbetween the twirling bodies.

War was not a dance but a struggle, there were two very clear sides of individuals. Unless they were making a concious effort to talk or look at each other they were unaware of the men and women falling dead and injured around them. Sirius did not notice when Florance - his long time school friend - was hit with a toxic green curse and fell dead, or when a Slytherin girl from his year at school was killed by a slicing hex from Mina. Sirius at the same time didn't notice when Annette or Mina were injured.

But he drew his syringes like he would a wand and quickly jabbed them into the stomach of his main targets. Page Potts was stuck with a paralysing potion and fell quickly and quietly, Sirius alomost took pleasure in injecting Paolo Biancardi with a poison which would be very - uncomfortable - for him.

Sirius quickly looked for Rose, who was now being guarded by Oscar Taylor - an insect like ministry official - and Randy McLaggen - one of James' old school friends - but the red head was no where in sight.

* * *

><p>Hermione ran, she couldn't bring herself to send any curses out, just as much as she couldnt bring herself to stop running, she just ran. Her feet slapped loudly on the stone floors, she was in Bill's group when it started but the targeted group of Light...<p>

Hugo was leading them.

She just stared at her son, for a full minute or two or ten and then he began to fight.

He was only seventeen - no eighteen... She recognized Matt and Hayley - his school friends beside him and he directed them - who to kill - and the two children did as he said. Hermione forgot about the battle and forgot about Azkaban and forgot about everything for a minute to rouse on him.

"Hugo!" She yelled in anger, stomping up to her son.

"_Avada Kedavra_!" Hermione didn't recognize the curse and didn't move out of its way, so she was lucky that Annettie had pulled her to the ground. Hugo stared at his mother for a moment, and she stared back and then Hermione ran and she didn't stop.

She skidded around a corner and pushed her back against the wall. Her ankle and side hurt and her arm was bleeding - she didn't even know how that happened.

"Oh Ron," Hermione cried and sunk against the wall. There was a bang and a crack and the wall she was leaning on shuddered, down the end of the corridor the window and wall blew apart in a fiery and violent explosion that blew chunks of stone all the way to where Hermione was.

"Rose..." Hermione felt the blood drain from her face as her grown up daughter stepped through the massive hole blown in the wall. Flanking her was Oscar Taylor and Randy McLaggen. Randy looked almost the same as he had in school but Oscar, while still the same spindly creepy man, had red eyes.

"Mother!" Rose called happily. "So glad you could join us, Taylor, kill her."

Taylor's wand was drawn faster than Hermione could see. "Wait," She cried, "Rosie... I'm your mother-"

"You abandoned me! You're my _mother._ For Merlin's _sake_ KILL HER!" Rose's outurst was enough and Hermione managed to twirl around the corner and run.

"Harry!" Hermione's foot and side were still hurting but the blood on her arm had dried but there was a crushing sort of numbing pain in her heart which lifted upon seeing her best friend. "Harry!" Harry was with Luna and Seamus and some others that Hermionedidn't recognise.

"Rose is here, she's h-"

Hermione Granger was struck in the back with the killing curse as she ungracefully ran towards her best friend, she sort of skipped a step, and as if in slow motion pitched forward. There were tears running down her cheeks and her hair was wild but she had the brightest smile on her face as she ran towards Harry. The light died from her eyes as she fell into her hero-friends arms. Harry looked utterly shocked.

"Harry Freaking Potter."

Harry looked up at the red haired girl who looked so like her mother. Harry was weary - She _knew_ Tom, but Rose was something different entirely.

"Miss Weasley." Harry said, she was still kneeling on the floor with Hermione in her arms.

"Mrs Malfoy," Mina whispered in her ear, Sirius on one side and Mina on the other they lifted Hermione up and took the body into a classroom. Harry didn't trust herself to speak for a moment.

"This is madness Rose-"

"You know my name," Rose rushed forwards. "The great Harry Potter knows my name."

"Surrender, now, stop all of this death-"

Again Rose uninterrupted her with her senseless mutterings and again Harry tried to reason. It seemed to break the cycle when Oscar Taylor on Rose's right clutched his stomach and with a funny little sound kneeled over, dead.

Randy McLaggen gripped his wand tighter and turned his side on Harry and the others to look at Taylor's body fall, Rose kept her eyes forward. There was a shout and the sound of footsteps and at the other end of the corridor another group of the Protectors of Light came to back up Rose.

"FOR THE LADY OF LIGHT!" The voice was not recognizable to Harriet but the flash of green light that followed it was. The order members, wands already drawn and at the ready were not prepared for it, more distracted by Randy who had also begun to attack and the order. The killing curse struck with an unbelievable flash and Luna fell to the ground before she could even see it coming.

They're was a cry that sounded like Lyda and then the final battle began.

Scorpius could only spare a moment to put a comforting hand on Lysander's shoulder - the boy had already seen his father die tonight - and then he too had to launch himself into the battle. If one watched closely enough random disembodied body parts would fly around jabbing potion filled syringes into people but no one could afford to pay that kind of attention.

Scorpius threw caution to the wind and was only using the killing curse to bring down the men and women in the red cloaks. He moved fast through the tangled, confused and fallen people and was only clipped by a few cutting hexes and took a fucking painful stinging hex to the eye.

It seemed to last an age, all the fighters were slow and sore and utterly defeated but still the battle raged.

Scorpius and the Order were forced back in a flurry of desperate screams when fiend-fyre was released in the corridor but Dad - who had left the room of requirement when everyone had ended up in the same place anyway - had quickly gotten rid of the cursed flames, the corridor was left melted and blackened.

After that the two forces clashed together again and shortly after that Scorpius caught Rose around the throat with a cutting hex.

She was twirled around back towards her dwindling army with the force of the hit and ruby red blood splattered them all like a wicked fountain. Then a deathly silence settled over the room.

"She's gone," Scorpius whispered, "Your Lady of Light has fallen, surrender now and stop this madness."

One by one the now outnumbered followers of Rose Weasley dropped their wands and put their hands above their head. The order members surged forwards slowly around the surrendered Wizards, the Aurours officially arresting them and the cavillians binding their hands.

"Prisoners to the Dungeons," Scorpius directed the crowd. "Injured and any able Healers to the infirmary and the dead are to be taken to the great hall!"

The prisoners were taken or fled, and the order went about collecting the dead and Lysander and a small army of healers from both sides went about collecting and helping the injured.

Sirius helped Mina to the hospital wing, her leg had been hit with a nasty hex and she was using him to support herself as she walked. She was soaked with water - he had no idea why - and smilling a giddy smile.

"Its done," She said happily, "I love you Sirius."

He leaned down and gently kissed her cheek in reply.

"Go help the others, I'll be fine here," he swept her onto a hospital cot and genlty sat her on the edge. "Go Sirius," She swatted him away, "Lysander will fix this in two seconds then I can give him a hand."

Sirius reached out to her and gently placed a hand at the nape of her neck and kissed her goodbye before leaving to help everyone else.

He passed at least sixty injured people making their way to the infirmary and about ten Healers making their way there even slower. Sirius went to the place where the first battle had happened and knelt down next to the bodies of the men and women who were struck down. He checked them all for some sign of life but when they were all confirmed dead he healed the superficial wounds and arranged them all as if they were sleeping.

_Uncle Blaise..._

Blaise Zabini stared into Sirius' eyes with no life in his own and Sirius gently closed them. He picked Blaise up bridal-style and waved his wand so the others would gently float to the great hall.

Already hundreds of people and bodies were being lined up and identified, he carefully walked around to the families and friends they would stop with terrified eyes look at the men and women lying dead behind him. Screams were heard and a woman came to pick her daughter out of the line.

The ones who remained unidentified were added to the lines and lines of people and Sirius Looked around for Aunt Luna.

Lyda found him first, touching a gentle hand to his shoulder and then another gentle touch to the cool temple of her father.

"Mum's over here," She led him through the grieving crowds to a secluded corner where Florence, Pansy, Hermione and Luna lay.

Sirius placed Uncle Blaise's body down as gently as he could next to his wife and left to find more.


	36. Chapter 36

**Epilogue; 1st September 2036 – 11 Years Later**

"Grandma!" Harriet Malfoy hugged her dark haired granddaughter Lilly, Vanessa was standing as far way from her mother she could manage, desperately excited to board the scarlet steam train before them. Dena was gone already, to find her third year Slytherin friends.

Sirius and Mina stood back and waved to their three daughters as they boarded the train. Scorpius was with Annettie and four year old Harrison even though, as the defense professor, he technically _was_ at work.

Teddy and Remmy had just come through the platform by the look of it, Teddy's hair bright red with gold spots for his Gryffindor son who was looking totally cool about his father's hair choices. Draco stood behind her, still handsome at fifty six, Prae by his side, she was stubbornly looking for Louis – whom she enjoyed scaring the living daylights out of.

Since the war they had not had peace, not really. The aurous were kept busy with the usual hapless dark wizards biting off more than they can chew and such. It was all too exciting for Harry and she became a Defence professor for four years, her spot was taken over by Scorpius and she was retired now, early perhaps but she loved nothing more than her lazy days with Draco, surrounded by family. That was her idea of heaven.

Roxy had taken over the shop from George who has never quite recovered, but he manages. Bill raised his younger children and helped Teddy with Remmy and continues on almost normal.

Lysander and Lyda were closer than ever and the most successful healers in Mungos – Lyda wasn't strictly a healer but the siblings were miracle workers. Lysander had apparently been dating Tasmin Jordan for a few months now – and _yes_ kept it a secret from his family! Harry hugged Lil to her a little tighter, the girl smiling fondly at her nutty gran.

"You'll behave, won't you?" Harriet asked her fondly.

"Remember, you're my only hope for a Gryffindor granddaughter Lily." Draco sounded so serious as he leaned over Harry's shoulder to say goodbye.

"Vanessa might-" Lily began and the three looked up at the girl, who as they looked at her accepted a bright orange box from Roxy and slipped it behind her back with the single most innocent smile on her face.

"Your twin sister, my dear," Draco said, "Is the single most dangerous thing ever."

"A Slytherin Marauder," Teddy supplied. Remmy was long gone, off on the train with only a brief wave to his father and grandparents.

"Pop," Lily said, "I'm a Ravenclaw."

As she said this she brandished her book. Harry laughed at her.

"You can be brave and bookish dear," Harry kissed her head as she ran over to join Vanessa and Sirius furiously signing.

Finally they stopped and the slight worry on Vanessa's face disappeared and she feircly hugged her father.

The whistle blew and Teddy looked up almost panicked, spotting his son and darting over to shove him on board the train. Sirius did the same to Dena as Mina quickly bustled the twins onto the train.

Scorpius made a lap of the platform before boarding himself and Annettie came to join Harry, Draco, Teddy, Mina and Sirius.

"I floo later," Annettie told Sirius when he asked. Harrison struggled in his mother's arms and ran to Sirius to say hello. Sirius fondly scooped up the little boy. Annettie happily greeted Mina and Harry and the others and the adults silently watched the steam train pull from the station with mighty puffs of the engine and the stone platform was bathed in clinging hot steam.

"Can you please tell her to stop it?" Harry turned around at Louis' voice in her ear and had to laugh when Prae, with her pointy teeth and acid eyes hiding in a corner, growled at the nervous young man,

"That girl," Harry muttered fondly. "Prae, leave Louis alone!"

She was back with the group in a flash, standing right next to Louis who jumped about a foot in the air. Prae leaned in and whispered something to Draco, Draco actually _snorted_ when he laughed.

Harry gave him a questioning look.

"When you scare him enough he has a French accent."

Harry laughed along with him at poor Louis' expense.

"Well I have to get to work," Mina announced, Annettie poking her tongue out but admitting she had to get to Hogwarts too. They said their goodbyes and Mina kissed Sirius goodbye, patting his cheek before saying farewells to the others. Prae admitted she was needed at the Primary school – a wizarding one where she taught – and left too, much to Louis' relief.

Eventually Harry and Draco were the last left on the platform, finally deciding to head home.

"Why are you so smiley love?" Draco asked her quietly. She directed her bright smile towards him and he softly grabbed her hand.

"Just, everything's so wonderful now, I'm smiling because I'm happy."

Draco smiled back at her in agreement.

_And in her own little slice of heaven, waiting for her hero-daughter, Lily Potter smiled wisely and thought;_

'_all is well.'_

* * *

><p>It's finished, thank you for following, reading and reviewing!<p> 


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